Legal Organizations That Rate Lawyers – What Does It Actually Mean?

There are a number of legal organizations that rate lawyers. Some employ meaningful ways of rating lawyers. For other groups, lawyers simply belong the legal “organizations” and are members simply by paying dues.

By paying dues any lawyer can belong to a local or state bar association including the Vermont Bar Association, the Bennington County Bar Association, as well as the American Bar Association. Although there may be standards associated with good conduct, any lawyer can belong by paying their dues. They provide good organizational benefits for lawyers such as continuing legal education programs, meetings, sharing information and lists of members so lawyers can contact each other.

However, lawyers who belong to the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association (a non-profit corporation) have to have tried at least one case and is a useful measure of the attorney you are considering to hire. Pat Winburn is a founding member of the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association and is currently of Trustee on the board of trustees.

Other groups rate lawyers. Most of these rate lawyers in return for a fee. It is not especially meaningful to legal consumers since all they are finding out is that a lawyer has paid money to list themselves on what is supposed to be a “service”.

However, there are a few other organizations that are actually meaningful and have more rigorous membership requirements. Upcoming posts will discuss these – the “National Board of Trial Advocates”, “Martindale-Hubbard”, “Best Lawyers”, “Super Lawyers”, and the “Million Dollar Advocates Forum” are some of these in addition to the Vermont Trial Lawyers Association previously mentioned.

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