Attorney ratings provide insight into an attorney’s proficiency, but the reliability of rating systems varies. Martindale-Hubbel® uses a peer review system, while others rely on client reviews. Online evaluations can be unreliable, and word of mouth can be a good way to find a lawyer.
Attorney ratings are scores that are given to attorneys to provide insight into their level of proficiency. People can use attorney ratings to find an attorney to work with. Numerous organizations provide attorney ratings, and such systems have varying degrees of reliability. While searching for appraisals can be helpful for someone looking for an attorney, it’s important to consider where the appraisals come from.
Each rating system works differently and with many companies the specifications are proprietary meaning that visitors have no way of knowing precisely how the company arrives at a particular score. Attorney ratings can be as simple as a numerical score between one and ten that provides insight into whether or not an attorney is a good choice. Others are more complicated and may rate attorneys along several axes to provide a more complete picture.
A major provider of attorney evaluations is Martindale-Hubbel®, which uses a peer review evaluation system. This system relies on input from other attorneys. This rating system also has a client review component, which allows clients to provide feedback on attorneys based on their experience. Other systems rely primarily on client reviews of attorneys.
Online attorney evaluations can be convenient, but they can also be highly unreliable. An attorney’s rating can be skewed by a few angry clients going online to vent their anger, while satisfied clients may not think to write a review for a ratings site. It can be difficult to tell how many clients have reviewed an attorney on some sites, and it’s impossible to determine whether or not the reviews are balanced. Since verifying that someone is actually a customer can be a challenge, there is also the risk that there are false ratings on the site.
Some lawyers have sued companies offering statutory ratings on the grounds that the systems used to collect the data are unbalanced and that the ratings are unfair. When evaluating a company that provides such scores, it helps to find out where the information used in their evaluations comes from. Firms that rely on information voluntarily provided by clients, for example, may be less trustworthy than firms that actively solicit information from both clients and fellow attorneys.
Word of mouth can be a good way to find a good lawyer or to verify claims made on rating sites. People who don’t personally need legal services may have friends who have used lawyers and have recommendations. While an attorney recommended by a friend may not practice in the right area of law, that attorney may in turn recommend a colleague who may be a good fit for a given situation.
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