Super Lawyers is the odd one out in this series: it's not a directory you join, it's a rating you're selected for. Each year, a patented multiphase process names the top 5% of attorneys in each state to the Super Lawyers list, and the top 2.5% of younger attorneys (40 or under, or in practice 10 years or less) to Rising Stars. You cannot nominate yourself, and you cannot pay to be included — Super Lawyers maintains a strict wall between research and advertising, and selected attorneys are listed free whether they ever spend a dollar or not.
That selectivity is exactly why it matters. The badge carries weight with clients and referring attorneys precisely because it can't be bought. Long part of the FindLaw business, Super Lawyers moved with FindLaw into Internet Brands' legal network at the end of 2024.
This guide covers both situations: you haven't been selected and want a real shot, or you have been selected and need to make the listing work for you.
If you haven't been selected: how the candidate pool works
Selection runs in four phases: nominations create a candidate pool, the research team scores every candidate on twelve indicators, top scorers in each practice area conduct a peer "blue ribbon review," and final selections are made within four firm-size groups so solo attorneys aren't compared against BigLaw partners.
What you can actually do:
- Get nominated. Attorneys licensed in your state can nominate peers annually (each can nominate up to 21 — in-firm, out-of-firm, and Rising Stars candidates — and out-of-firm nominations carry more weight). You can't ask for votes campaign-style, but making sure colleagues, co-counsel, and referral partners know you'd welcome consideration is fair game. Clients and others can also submit informal nominations through the Super Lawyers contact page; these carry no points but do place you in the pool for research.
- Create your account and populate your profile. Any lawyer can create a Super Lawyers login and enter credentials — education, firm affiliation, practice description, awards. The research team evaluates the twelve indicators (verdicts and settlements, transactions, representative clients, experience, honors, certifications, firm position, bar activity, pro bono work, scholarly writing and lectures, education and employment background, and other achievements), and a populated profile makes your record visible to them.
- Build the record itself. The indicators reward visible professional activity: one speaking engagement and one published article a year, bar committee involvement, board certifications where your state offers them, and documented results. This is a multi-year play; many attorneys enter the pool several cycles before selection.
Each state runs its own annual timeline for nominations, notification, and publication — check your state's schedule on superlawyers.com.
If you've been selected: don't waste it
Selection without follow-through is recognition nobody sees. Three tasks, in order:
1. Complete data verification — on deadline. After notification, log in via Lawyer Login at superlawyers.com, click Verify Info, then Edit Your Information. Review your contact and practice area details, complete the Good Standing Attestation, and save. Only selected attorneys who verify their data appear in the state's print publication, and each state's verification window closes on a hard deadline.
2. Build out your free listing. The basic online profile for selected attorneys is free. Through the User Information Manager (the "Edit Your Information" link on your dashboard), confirm your firm name, address, and phone match your website and Google Business Profile exactly, complete your practice areas and credentials, and add your website where the contact fields allow. Changes go live on your profile and in Super Lawyers search results within about 24 hours. One limitation to know: displaying a photo on your profile requires a paid Expanded or Premium profile — the free listing runs without one.
3. Put the badge on your website. Every selected attorney's profile includes a Download badge button that generates an HTML embed for your site. Place it on your homepage or attorney bio page and link it to your Super Lawyers profile. Follow the announcement timing rules — each selection year has an official date before which you shouldn't publicize the new selection.
Keep perspective
Super Lawyers is a credibility layer, not a lead engine. It strengthens the decision of a client who has already found you through Google, your website, or a referral. Prioritize it accordingly: claim it fully and display it proudly, but let your Google Business Profile, website, and the claimable directories carry the acquisition load.
FAQ
Can I pay to be included in Super Lawyers? No. Selection cannot be purchased, and advertising has no influence on it. Paid products exist only for attorneys already selected (profile enhancements, print advertising).
Can I nominate myself? No. Self-nominations aren't accepted. Nominations come from peers licensed in your state, plus independent identification by the research team.
Does Super Lawyers list attorneys who aren't selected? The published lists and profiles showcase selected attorneys. Non-selected lawyers can maintain an account with their credentials, which supports future evaluation cycles.
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