What
WHAT ARE Martindale-Hubbell® CLIENT REVIEW RATINGS?
LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell® has been facilitating Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ for more than 130 years and two years ago added client ratings -- together these ratings provide prospective clients a 360-degree view of a lawyer's professional credentials.
Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Ratings enable buyers of legal services to provide client feedback on a lawyer or law firm by completing a brief evaluation of the key attributes of a lawyer's and/or law firm's services and other professional qualities. There is no cost to participate in Client Review Ratings.
Client Review Ratings leverage a simple one page survey that consists of four main questions that measure communication ability, quality of service, responsiveness and value for the money on specific matters. Also included are an overall recommendation (indicated with a "thumbs up" graphic if the reviewer would recommend the attorney), basic demographic questions of the reviewer and an optional additional feedback section that allows clients to provide narrative feedback. The survey takes only a few minutes to complete.
The idea behind Client Review Ratings is to create an objective platform on which clients can share their experiences working with a specific lawyer or law firm. This information assists other potential clients with their decision-making process.
For many years, Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ have been viewed as an important rating in the legal industry, allowing legal professionals to provide feedback on their colleagues. The Client Review Ratings program was established to address the growing needs of buyers of legal services to have feedback from other buyers of legal services about the lawyers and firms they have retained. Both of these ratings programs complement and support the information firms provide to aid potential clients in evaluating lawyers and firms.
How
HOW ARE CLIENT RATINGS DETERMINED?
Clients are invited to submit Client Review Ratings only on closed matters with the law firm or lawyer under review - this can be done on martindale.com®, Lawyers.comSM, or LinkedIn®. Submission of a review requires that the client affirm that he/she or his/her employer has been a client of the law firm/lawyer and that he/she is completing the review on matters that are closed.
Client Review Rating Survey
The question set for the Client Review Ratings include a research industry standard 5-point scale system across the main evaluation criteria: Communication Ability, Responsiveness, Quality of Service and Value for Money. These questions speak to a lawyer's or firm's service and relationship qualities. Respondents are also asked an overall recommendation question, to identify practice areas for which the lawyer/firm was retained and an optional additional feedback question.
For each of the four main questions (Communication Ability, Responsiveness, Quality of Service and Value for Money), the client can rate the lawyer/law firm on a scale of a 1 to 5 (with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest).
The overall rating is determined by averaging the review responses. LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell® does not adjust the overall rating based upon any additional proprietary calculation. The rating is comprised solely from the completed, validated Client Review Ratings
Client Review Ratings are anonymous and reviewers' identities are not published. All Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Ratings review submissions are treated as anonymous. LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell® takes steps to protect anonymity (e.g., not associating reviewer names with their responses and aggregating their responses with responses from other reviewers before sharing or publishing them), but it is possible that responses may contain sufficient information to allow the rated lawyer to ascertain the reviewer's identity. This allows client participants to provide candid assessments of their firms or lawyers. The survey will ask for identifying information from the reviewer, which will be kept confidential unless required to be disclosed pursuant to a valid court order or subpoena.
Effective in the fall of 2011, all lawyers and law firms who receive client feedback in a Client Review Rating may respond to that feedback with a one-time comment. Also effective in the fall of 2011, it's possible to suppress client ratings or feedback only through a direct email request (to
ratings@martindale.com) from the reviewed lawyer or law firm; firms and lawyers can no longer suppress or publish only selective ratings or comments. In order to suppress any rating or comment, all lawyer/firm ratings and comments for that requesting lawyer/law firm must be suppressed. If the client rating is suppressed, language will be added to the lawyer's profile that states "Ratings not Shown". Once ratings are suppressed by request, they will be suppressed for a minimum of two years.
The site is not law firm advertising and LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell® is not acting as agent for any lawyer or law firm in providing this forum or facilitating the sharing of any information. Each lawyer/law firm must decide for itself how it wishes to use any Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Ratings information and, as stated in the terms of use, each lawyer/law firm is wholly responsible for ensuring that any use it makes of Martindale-Hubbell® or of data found in Martindale-Hubbell® data base is compliant with the ethics rules affecting that lawyer/law firm.
Martindale-Hubbell® subscribers can also now select two client feedback entries and position them at the top of their ratings tab.
A lawyer or law firm need not be a subscriber to Martindale-Hubbell® to receive Client Review Ratings; any practicing law firm or lawyer is eligible to participate in Client Review Ratings. Likewise, there is no cost to the lawyer/firm or to the client to complete a Client Review.
Why
WHY ARE CLIENT REVIEW RATINGS IMPORTANT?
Benefits to Clients
If you are a recent client of a firm and/or lawyer, completing a Client Review Rating about your experience will help others in their research and selection of legal counsel. This input, along with that from other clients, helps build a robust database of Client Review Ratings, so that all users of Client Review Ratings will be better informed as they make purchase decisions for legal services.
By reviewing Client Review Ratings data, you can leverage the first-hand experiences of other clients when evaluating a lawyer or law firm for a matter-especially in new geographical areas or where your knowledge of legal talent may be limited. Client Review Ratings data will allow you to make more confident hiring decisions, particularly when combined with Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings® and law firm/lawyer profile data.
In fact, effective in the fall of 2011, ratings and feedback are now displayed for all lawyers and law firms, regardless of whether they are Martindale-Hubbell® subscribers. This change reflects the growing importance of Client Review Ratings as an objective tool in the decision-making process for buyers of legal services.
Benefits to Law Firms
Gathering data from sources like Client Review Ratings is fast becoming an industry requirement, a trend that is being fueled by market demand. Users want more comprehensive data on lawyer and firm capabilities, including feedback from other clients. Large law firms can leverage the Client Review Ratings data in support of their current client satisfaction efforts. Medium to smaller firms might use it as a cost-effective, single source of client feedback.
No matter what size the firm, participation in Client Review Ratings can provide clear differentiation and position firms/lawyers as thought leaders.
Moreover, if you are a practicing lawyer or law firm, Client Review Ratings provide valuable feedback directly from your clients - those with first-hand experience of the firm and your lawyers. This feedback can be shared with your prospects to promote your expertise and to add depth to existing Martindale-Hubbell® profiles. Martindale-Hubbell® subscribers also have the ability to respond to reviews to round out the experience and show users how you do business.
Marketing
HOW CAN YOU USE Martindale-Hubbell® CLIENT REVIEW RATINGS TO MARKET YOUR LAW FIRM?
Any practicing law firm or lawyer is eligible to request a Client Review Rating and there is no cost to the lawyer/firm or to the client to complete a Client Review Rating. However, if a law firm is a Martindale-Hubbell® subscriber, more detailed information will be presented on their Lawyer/Firm Profiles on both martindale.com and Lawyers.comSM.
Client Review Ratings are displayed on the popular destinations of martindale.com, Lawyers.comSM and LinkedIn®, so that all law firms and their clients may benefit from adding this attribute to the firms' and lawyers' credentials. Specifically, the addition of Client Review Ratings to Lawyers.comSM bring ratings to the consumer and small business markets and gives rated lawyers and law firms an opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competition in new ways.
In the fall of 2011, a number of important changes were introduced to the way that Client Review Ratings are displayed. These changes included:
- Ratings are now prominently displayed on the law firm profile, rather than users clicking through a link to see more details
- All lawyers and law firms may now respond to client feedback about their services, and Martindale-Hubbell® subscribers can select two client feedback entries to position at the top of their ratings tab
- A new metric is now displayed: the number of clients who recommend each selected lawyer or law firm
- A new graphic element is now displayed: clients who recommend the lawyer being reviewed are now illustrated with a "thumbs up".
Finally, law firms can market their Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Ratings by sharing and promoting client reviews to other online marketing locations, such as your own law firm website.
Guidelines
WHAT ARE THE USE GUIDELINES FOR CLIENT REVIEW RATINGS?
Martindale-Hubbell® subscribers can market their Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Ratings by promoting those ratings on their own websites. When doing so, the following phrase should always be used in conjunction with your Client Review Rating on your site, brochures and other marketing materials:
"Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Rated Lawyer of Preeminent ___ out of 5 [insert (Preeminent or Distinguished if appropriate) and current numeric rating] as of __' 201-- [insert date of latest review published on martindale.com and Lawyers.comSM]."
For lawyers with both a Peer Review Rating and Client Review Rating who wish to market and promote their Client Review Rating, the following phrase should always be used in conjunction with your Client Review Rating on all appropriate marketing materials:
"Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review Rated Lawyer of Preeminent ___out of 5 [insert (Preeminent or Distinguished if appropriate) and current numeric rating] as of _____ 201__ [insert date of latest review published on martindale.com and Lawyers.comSM]."
For specific guidelines on promoting Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings®, please consult the Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings page on martindale.com®.
Lawyers and law firms can also promote their Client Reviews in press releases or other marketing materials. Please contact your Client Development Solutions Specialist, the Client Service Center at
http://csc.martindale.com or call 1-800-945-4958 for more information about ways/tools to help you capitalize on the benefits of Client Review and better market your law firm.
Client Review Rated Lawyers and Law Firms may use a Client Review Rating in a manner that is consistent and compliant with the rules and regulations governing lawyer advertising in the state/commonwealth/jurisdiction in which the Client Review Rating is to be used. It is the sole obligation of the Client Review Rated Lawyer /Law Firm to ensure that their chosen usage complies with the applicable rules and regulations.
Lawyer ethics rules, including lawyer advertising rules, in the U.S, are complex. While states have generally based their rules on the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, many states have adopted additional rules and exceptions. The result is that ethics rules and associated ethics opinions vary widely from one state to another. Firms must ensure their own compliance with the various ethics rules and opinions that might be applicable to particular circumstances, including participation in Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review.
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell® does not undertake to develop a Client Review Rating for all firms and lawyers. Therefore, the fact that a firm or lawyer has not been reviewed should not be construed as unfavorable. LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell® accepts no responsibility for and will not be liable for the content and accuracy of the individual reviews and the aggregated reviews.
No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed by any lawyer/law firm is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. No ratings constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of any legal matter. Any result a lawyer/law firm may achieve on behalf of one client in one matter does not indicate that a similar result can be obtained for another client. Past performance cannot be an assurance of future results as each matter must be decided on its own merits."
FAQs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can reviews be completed on individual lawyers as well as firms?
Yes. Reviews can be submitted for both lawyers and for firms.
Can law firms nominate clients to participate in the review process?
Firms can submit client nominations via our online Client Service Center at
http://csc.martindale.com. Firms must nominate at least 5 client references before surveys will be sent.
How are clients identified to perform a Client Review?
Clients can be identified in several different ways. Buyers of legal services can be nominated by one of their law firms as a current or former client with specific experience with the law firm; a client can choose to access Client Review via a link beside each lawyer or firm profile on martindale.com®, Lawyers.comSM or via LinkedIn®. The variety of Client Review identification points helps to facilitate a representative sample of respondents. The Client must affirm that they are a client of the lawyer or firm identified for review. A client can submit only one review for a specific lawyer or law firm within a 12-month period.
I received an e-mail inviting me to participate in a Client Review. What is this?
The e-mail you received invites you to participate in the LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell® Client Review process. By participating and sharing your knowledge of the law firm or lawyer under review, you will be providing an invaluable service to buyers of legal services who may consider hiring that firm or lawyer.
Why did Martindale-Hubbell® introduce the "Review as a Client" link on Lawyers.comSM and martindale.com?
"Review as a Client" was introduced to add more channels to collect Client Review Ratings. Using multiple channels (client-initiated, firm-initiated, Martindale-Hubbell® initiated, etc.) increases the credibility of Client Review by helping to create a more random sample of reviews, and encourages more potential respondents to complete reviews.
Does Martindale-Hubbell® verify that the clients are legitimate?
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell® cannot confirm the lawyer/client relationship, which in many cases is confidential; therefore clients must affirm that they are a client of the subject lawyer or firm at the time of the completed Client Review. We do not review the substance of the comment, and have no ability to verify the truth or accuracy of any posted comment.
Can I rate a lawyer who is my relative?
No. In situations where you are a family member (parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, in-law, cousin, aunt/uncle) of the lawyer under review, that could present a conflict of interest and affect the objectivity of the ratings.
Do law firms/lawyers have the option of viewing Client Review Ratings before they are published on LexisNexis® online sites?
No. All client reviews will be posted automatically. The lawyer has a one-time opportunity to respond to any Client Review Rating comment. In addition, the lawyer has the option of suppressing a Client Review Ratings, but if that is done, all of that lawyer's reviews are removed from display and they will be suppressed for a minimum of two years.
Is there a limit to the number of Client Reviews that a firm/lawyer can have?
There is no maximum limit to the number of Client Reviews to be utilized for the rating. The greater the number of reviews, the more value in-house counsel, referring lawyers and other consumers will derive from the information.
What if Client Reviews are not published for a specific firm or lawyer?
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell® does not undertake to develop Client Reviews for all firms and lawyers. Therefore, the fact that a firm or lawyer has no reviews published should not be construed as unfavorable.
How current are the Client Reviews that are published?
Client Reviews that are over 24 months old will be archived.
I was sent a survey link by my lawyer/law firm and I'd like to review other firms not included on the survey questionnaire. How do I do that?
The survey link includes the option to add law firms or lawyers for you to review. Provided the law firm or lawyer is confirmed as valid, a review can be completed.
Can I forward my invitation to another person?
Yes, provided you are answering the review in a professional capacity, Client Reviews can be forwarded to a colleague within your organization who may be in a better position to complete the Client Review. Once contact details are confirmed, that person's review is eligible to be included in the ratings process.
What is the scope of a Client Review?
Client Reviews can be conducted worldwide for firms and lawyers.
I had to close the Client Review survey before finishing and when I returned to the survey via the e-mail link I found that my responses do not appear. What happened?
Responses are only saved to the system when the "submit" button is clicked. If you did not click the submit button before the survey window closed, the responses on that page would have been lost.
LexisNexis, the Knowledge Burst logo, Martindale-Hubbell® and martindale.com are registered trademarks, Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ is a trademark and Lawyers.comSM is a service mark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under license. AV, BV and CV are registered certification marks and AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc. Copyright 2010 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.