According to the blog launched today, RankingsForLawyers, there are more than 700 different lists that rank lawyers in the United States. While any lawyer can name at least some of these lists — such as Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers — keeping track of all of them is an overwhelming task. That is the idea behind this blog and the new service it accompanies, RankingsForLawyers. Unveiled today by the legal-marketing firm Jaffe Associates, the service promises to help law firm marketers keep track of the many ranking opportunities and decide which they should pursue. (Full disclosure: I am a former vice president of Jaffe.) From the announcement:

“RankingsForLawyers gives legal marketers the knowledge they not only need to stay on top of all of the directories and ranking opportunities — national, regional, and local — but also to better identify those that have true value for the firm. It also provides useful guidance in managing key deadlines.”

The announcement offers interesting numbers showing how pervasive these rankings have become:

  • Sixty-nine major legal periodicals publish a total of 345 surveys.
  • There are 387 surveys published by 184 general business publications in major markets nationwide.
  • 170 surveys list the largest law firms.
  • 154 surveys highlight the the “best, super or top” lawyers.
  • Of the various surveys by practice areas, there are 27 for IP alone.
  • 108 surveys showcase “rising stars.”
  • There are 47 pro bono rankings.
  • 75 surveys rank workplace satisfaction.
  • 83 rankings focus on diversity efforts.
  • California is the state with the most surveys, while Wyoming, Idaho and Montana have the fewest.
  • More than 37 surveys appear in European and Canadian publications.

At the RankingsForLawyers site, you can sign up to receive a report compiled by Jaffe listing all of the publication opportunities and publication dates of current rankings and awards published by media outlets and other organizations.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.