Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ have been in existence for over 140 years.  It is a way for attorneys to get rated by their peers on their legal and ethical ability.   Our Peer Review Ratings™ are the gold standard in attorney ratings.  Attorneys looking to refer a client, as well as individuals researching lawyers for their own legal needs, use these ratings to identify, evaluate and select the most appropriate lawyer for their legal issue.   A peer review rating contributes to the comprehensive view of a lawyer and benefits the entire legal community.

If you would like to get peer rated or would like to see if you can get a higher peer rating, here are some basic steps to follow to make the process go smoothly:

There are 3 basic steps to getting peer rated (or re-rated):

1. Accessing the Peer Reference Nomination Tool
2. Compiling and submitting your peer references list
3. Reaching out to your peer references

Accessing the Peer Reference Nomination Tool

This tool will allow you to compile and submit your peer references so we can then email them the questionnaire to rate you.

Contact our Customer Support team at 800-526-4902 or [email protected] to request to be peer rated.  We will need the following information from you:

• Name
• Firm name
• Email address
• Martindale-Hubbell subscriber or not*

Once we determine your firm’s subscription status, we will get you started with your Peer Reference Nomination Tool.

Compiling & Submitting Your Peer References List

Once you have accessed the Peer Reference Nomination Tool, it’s time to start compiling that list of peer references. The minimum number is 18, but it’s a good idea to have about 20-25 (or more) attorneys or judges familiar with your legal ability in mind that you would like to nominate.   Please also keep in mind that judges may not be selected as peer references in 4 states:  CT, GA, NJ and SC.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you search for each name:

RULE #1 - It’s all about being LISTED (on Martindale.com, that is!)

• As you search for each peer reference, there may be some who do not appear in search results. Peer references need to be listed on Martindale.com - otherwise you will not be able to add them to your list and therefore they cannot rate you. If someone does not appear in search results, go to Martindale.com to see if they display their name differently on our website (John Smith vs. J. William Smith, for example).
• Attorneys who are not listed on Martindale.com but would like to be can submit their information here: Submit a Basic Profile

RULE #2 - It’s all about the email address (in our database, that is!)

• As you search for each peer reference, some names may appear but you will not be able to add them to your list. In most circumstances, the reason is because they do not have an email address in our database. Each peer reference needs to have a current email address with us, otherwise you will not be able to add them to your peer reference list and therefore they cannot rate you.

We take steps to ensure our database is as current as possible.  We work with state bars across the country to keep our records up to date.  But it always starts with the attorney – if he or she gets a new email address (i.e. changes firm, gets new email service provider) we need to know about it ASAP.

If one or more of your peer references doesn’t have an email address in our database, there are some steps you can take to get them on your list:

1. If their email address is publicly displayed on the internet somewhere (i.e. law firm website, bar association website), then email us at [email protected] with the name and the exact website location:

John Doe:  www.lawfirmwebsite.com/johndoe

We’ll update our database and once updated, you can then add them to your peer reference list.

2. Have the attorney/judge call 800-526-4902 or email us at [email protected] with their email address. Once we have it updated in our database, you can then add their name to your list

So now you have your 18+ peer references compiled.  Submit them and voila!  You’re almost done!

Reaching Out to Your Peer References

Our research shows that attorneys are much more likely to obtain a rating through the peer review process if they reach out to their references after they submit their list through the online tool.  Tell them that they should be getting an email message from Martindale and if they wouldn’t mind taking a few moments to rate you.

This accomplishes several things:

• Gives them a heads up to expect the email from us.
• They will know it is a legitimate email message and won’t delete it.
• If they don’t see the email in a couple of days, they should check their Spam/Junk folders.
• If they still don’t see the email, they can call or email us to resend it - this is especially wise if it’s possible we could have an old or incorrect email address.

Now what should I do?

Now just sit back and wait.  We allow at least two weeks to give your references an opportunity to respond.   After that time we’ll contact you with status updates as appropriate, either with the results of your review or providing you the opportunity to submit additional names.

As always, contact our Customer Support team at 800-526-4902 or [email protected] with any questions.

*Attorneys whose firms subscribe to Martindale-Hubbell have access to the Client Service Center (CSC) that allows attorneys to use this tool to start their Peer Rating.  Attorneys with firms that do not have a current Martindale-Hubbell subscription, will be emailed the Peer Reference Nomination Tool.

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