Only 3% of Legal Work is Influenced by Directories
There are three ways that law firms can waste their money:
- Shoveling bales of cash out of the back of a moving pickup truck.
- Starting bonfires with wrapped packs of $100 bills.
- Buying a listing in a directory of law firms.
Speaking at the recent Chief Marketing Officers' Forum in New York, Peter Columbus, the Director of Business Development for Kaye Scholer and Mark Messing, Chief Marketing Officer of Weil, Gotshal Manges, presented research showing that directory listings are worthless.
There are now 950 surveys and rankings of law firms, including Martindale-Hubbell, Chambers, Leading Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 204 “Best, Super or Top" lists, 175 largest law firm lists, 122 “Rising Star” lists, 103 Diversity-focused surveys and 90 Workplace satisfaction lists, according to research by Jaffe Associates. And all of them generate little to no new business for law firms, Messing said.
Directories are published primarily as profit-making ventures that appeal to lawyer egos, and to help publications increase their readership, in my opinion.
When Acritas research surveyed in-house lawyers in 2007 about what sources influence their consideration of law firms, none spontaneously mentioned law firm directories. Instead the corporate lawyers said they relied on referrals from companies, personal experience, referrals from colleagues, the reputation of the firm, publications and articles, referrals from outside law firms and referrals from peers.
Overall, three quarters are not at all, or only marginally, influenced by directories in their selection of law firms, according to the research. When Acritas asked, "Do you ever refer to directories when selecting law firms?" the respondents said that less than 3% of work is influenced by directories.
Law firms are getting wise. Some 30% of AmLaw 100 law firms are no longer listed in Martindale-Hubbell. Some law firms have adopted policies that they will refuse to be listed in Super Lawyers or Best Lawyers, according to Messing.
"When I go to client offices, I don't see any lawyer directories on their shelves," Columbus said. "I don't think any corporation chooses a law firm based on a paid directory listing. You should not waste your money on a directory profile."
Great piece! I was wondering if you knew the percentage of users that began their search for a lawyer or firm online?
While your statements seem to hold water in a very broad sense I also have to say that the point you're making is far too broad to be of much use. Saying that all legal directories are bad is like saying all lawyers are bad. Absolute statements like that are almost never accurate.
As a previous and current owner/operator of two popular legal directories (DUI.com and MyFamilyLaw.com, respectively), I've formed close working relationships with many of my clients - and I know the services we provide benefit them directly, and provide a positive return on investment. We have *very* low attrition rates, and a very high satisfaction rates.
Our directories may be exceptions to the rule, but the point is that there can be value in good legal directories.
Rather than just ruling it out altogether, when deciding whether to advertise in directories, lawyers should look for the following to maximize their chances for a positive return on investment:
- prompt responses from directory admin or management (if you have to wait for a response, chances are the directory isn't being actively managed)
- ability to self-manage your listing (you should be able to change your phone number or firm description online if you want to)
- ability to add video or images to your ad (advertising on the internet simply must include images and/or video these days)
- websites that serve niches (rather than huge "all law" directories)
- websites that are ranked well in the search engines (rather than those that *only* place ads on search engines)
What you neglect to address is that search engines LOVE to follow these links - they know that REPUTABLE brands like justia, findlaw and lexisnexis are not link farms, and plays an important part of deciding to rank these lawyers sites better / higher than lawyers who have no reputable links.
Thanks for the blog post. I just want to make an important distinction that we at Advice Company see every day. You quote a business development executive at a large law firm who states that they “don’t believe any corporation chooses a law firm based on a paid directory listing.�
The key point is that, while corporations may not choose law firms via directories, consumers certainly do.
The trend is increasing by which consumers research legal issues first and then contact attorneys online. Over 8 million consumers visit our site, www.freeadvice.com, every year seeking information about personal injury, bankruptcy, DUI, divorce and other personal legal matters through the Internet. Then they stay online to find an attorney.
Since 1995, Advice Company has operated several leading Web sites that provide legal information and attorney and expert witness directories. The attorneys whom we serve are sole practitioners and small firms and not the large business law firms cited in your blog, such as Weil Gotshal with 1,262 attorneys or Kaye Scholer with 478.
The consumer-oriented solos and small firms know that they receive valuable marketing and lead generation services and a positive return on their investment. Over 80% renew from year to year and our business is booming because it is based upon helping the consumer and providing a solid value proposition for attorneys who get measurable value.
Steven Lurie
CEO, Advice Company
Larry may have drawn the conclusion that legal directory listings are "worthless" from the presentation Mark and I recently gave at the CMO Forum, but that was not the final evaluation in our discussion. First, I stated that the importance of directories in general, and being ranked by specific directories in particular, is different for every firm. By way of example, I commended Chambers on how they have taken the profession by storm in the US and praised AmLaw for the time and effort they expend on certain of their surveys, including their Litigation Department of the Year survey.
My presentation slides stated that, according to Jaffe Associates, the increase in the number of directories can be "attributed to a number of factors, including, a full court press among firms to remain competitive, to attract top talent, boost morale and, of course, to increase visibility among clients and potential clients" and that publishers are "seeking to increase readership and advertising revenue" by "upp[ing] the number of rankings they run."
Regarding Martindale, I discussed the challenges that they are facing, including the number of top firms that no longer list in the directory, but I also discussed the changes they are making to stay competitive in the marketplace, including the priority they've placed on working with in-house counsel to provide more meaningful research tools. The depth of data that Martindale possesses is impressive. If they can package and market it properly in a cost effective manner then they can remain competitive in the marketplace.
And finally, a policy of "[y]ou should not waste your money on a [paid] directory profile," should not be set in stone. Laterals who have recently joined a firm, firms that are expanding into new regions or practice areas, boutique and niche practices, and/or the ranking of an up-and-coming rising star may make this expenditure a worthwhile investment. What's important is to judge each opportunity on its merits and potential ROI.
Larry,
The more than 950 current rankings and lists are compiled from the top 100 business markets in the U.S., Canada and abroad. Peter Columbus referred to several reasons for the dramatic rise of late in the number of directories and lists in his slides from his program at the CMO Forum, including firms wanting to participate in order to boost morale and remain competitive. It’s important to note that publishers are also responding to the marketplace and related indicators – one business journal in a Florida city provided a new list of top local bankruptcy attorneys this year as a service for their readers -- a direct reflection of the economy and concerns in that region. It’s also relevant to note how many law firms become unhappy when their positions slip, or are omitted from, a particular ranking, as perception in the marketplace is often supported by the guides, paid or not.
Our research shows that with the multitude of lists, guides, surveys and directories, it requires thoughtful strategy to be aware of the ones that are important to a particular firm, and have firm management weigh in on a plan for rankings.
A blanket policy that refuses participation in any listing may not be the wisest approach, but hopefully those firms have decided upon that strategy after considering many factors, including, how will it look if they don’t appear? Will attorneys understand this when they see their competitors listed? Is this policy to avoid an internal political upheaval if some are selected and others aren’t? What about the effect of rankings on recruiting as many of the rankings are more lifestyle related?
Whether achieved through a paid listing or a lengthy nomination process, each firm must decide for itself if the anticipated result is to directly drive new business, or some other less tangible benefit, to raise the individual or firm profile in a particular region or practice area, or to support the firm’s business development or recruiting goals. The field is wide open and anyone can play, whether solo practitioner, a small local law firm or a large, multi-office law firm.
Kathy O’Brien
Manager
RankingsForLawyers
Jaffe Associates
Hey Larry,
The "mega"-directories can be a waste of time and money, sure, but not all are alike. Several companies including eJustice, Einstein Law, and Consultwebs use directories with varying degrees of exclusivity. I DO NOT work for nor do I represent these companies, however I've seen the results through proper tracking with my clients. The 3% number sounds accurate for the large directories, like Martindale, however for the exclusive, niche directories, their effectiveness is far better.
Lawyers considering the purchase of a directory listing should consider:
1. The number of attorneys featured
2. DEFINED practice areas. I've seen shady folks call it "personal injury" only to find out Auto accidents are not included and are part of another directory
3. Change the terms to protect yourself: Ask for 1 month free or month-to-month: Nobody leaves a fishing hole if they are at least getting bites; eventually they'll hook a keeper.
Great post as always, I enjoy reading your stuff!
Regards,
Landon Harlan