Martindale-Hubbell #1 Directory for Law Firm Marketing
In a new study abut the role of legal directories and online lawyer profiles, the BTI Consulting Group found that:
- 77.1% of in‐house counsel and staff use a legal directory or online lawyer profile to validate the credentials of a referral.
- 80.8% of corporate counsel and staff use online lawyer profile services to identify attorneys in unfamiliar jurisdictions or areas of expertise when a referral is unavailable.
- In‐house legal departments use online lawyer profile services for an average of 4 key activities when selecting, evaluating and hiring outside counsel.
- Absence from a legal directory hinders up to 51.4% of clients from hiring a law firm.
- 90.4% of in-house counsel have used Martindale‐Hubbell at least yearly. If choosing to appear in just one legal directory, 71.2% of in‐house counsel and staff recommend a law firm select Martindale‐Hubbell.
- 67.7% of in‐house counsel and staff have used LinkedIn at least yearly.
Get your copy of BTI’s How Clients Hire: The Role of Legal Directories and Online Lawyer Profiles.
Interesting, it would be interesting to see that graph over a comparison of the last few years. Thanks for sharing Larry
Interesting, but although not mentioned, it seems that all 570 respondents of this study are based in the US, what might influence the results, if compared with a more geographically broad study.
For instance, Chambers mentions in its web site a 2008 study by the International In-House Counsel (www.iicj.net) that gives 51% to Chambers and 14% to Martindale (see www.chambersandpartners.com).
So, what to make from all this? My firm is listed on Chambers, due to our non-paid submissions and their research, but we're not paying to be listed on Martindale. Should we do it?
Thanks, Larry. I'd be interested in seeing the data teased out. "Online directory and online profile" could include Web site bios, which are just as, if not more popular -and certainly more visible-in Web attorney name Web searches like Google, which is where CC starts almost all research. Munging these two categories together might be like averaging Bill Gates' wealth and mine and calling us both extremely rich (which I'm not).