Lawyers love to pat themselves on the back, congratulate each other for a job well done, and hand out as many awards to each other as possible. The reason for this is pretty obvious: as attorneys, our reputation is a major part of the business. The better reputation an attorney has, the more clients he or she will have. The attorney will also get to litigate more important cases and charge more for his or her time.
When you are injured due to the actions of someone else and would like to file a claim, it is up to you to do your homework and find a good lawyer. Not all awards mean something, but there are many that do have meaning. You should look for someone who you believe will vigorously represent you in court, matches your personality type, and has a good track record. The awards described below are only a handful of the most prestigious awards an attorney can earn, but they do a good job showing how, and in what context, an attorney’s work is valued.
Image by Flickr User Snap®
National Law Journal’s Lawyer of the Year Award
The National Law Journal gives the “Lawyer of the Year” title to some of the brightest and most successful attorneys in the country. Among its ranks are David Boies, who represented Al Gore in the 2000 election, obtained $4 billion from Visa in a case with American Express, and is currently representing plaintiffs in Proposition 8 litigation in California. The National Law Journal also recognized John Keker, who prosecuted Oliver North during the Iran-Contra Affair, and more recently defended Google in a claim from Microsoft.
Super Lawyers Ranking
Super Lawyers rates attorneys through peer nominations, evaluations, and third party research. Each attorney-candidate is evaluated for peer-recognition, professional achievements, and reputation. Selections are made state by state. The goal of Super Lawyers is to build a listing of exceptional attorneys that can be used by those seeking legal representation. The final list for Super Lawyers only represents roughly 5 percent of lawyers in each state. The lists are published annually.
California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year
The CLAY Award is an award specific to the state of California. It recognizes attorneys who have made a marked impact in society every year, and includes attorneys from federal prosecution offices, law firms, public-interest groups, and universities. In 2013, it handed out 27 awards in 21 different practice areas. See some of last year’s winners here.
Awards from the American Bar Association
The American Bar Association is a voluntary bar composed of both lawyers and law students from across the United States. The ABA has many roles, including setting academic criterion for law schools and creating model rules of ethics for attorneys. The ABA has over 400,000 members, and gives out many awards for outstanding attorneys in different categories. For example, every year it awards the John H. Pickering Achievement Award. This award recognizes a senior attorney who has not only shown excellent litigation skills, but also a larger dedication to community and service.
How to Verify Attorney Awards and Credentials in California
Understanding which awards matter is only half the equation—you also need to confirm that an attorney actually holds the credentials they claim. If you’re wondering how to verify a lawyer’s credentials before hiring them in California, the process is straightforward and free.
The State Bar of California maintains a public database that verifies attorney credentials, including license status, disciplinary history, and bar admissions. You can search any licensed attorney by name and confirm they’re in good standing before scheduling a case evaluation. For specific awards like Super Lawyers or the CLAY Award, visit the issuing organization’s website directly and search their published lists. Legitimate recognitions are always publicly documented.
Taking these verification steps before signing a retainer agreement protects you from inflated claims and helps establish trust in the client-attorney relationship from the start. A reputable personal injury attorney welcomes this scrutiny because transparency builds confidence. If an attorney is hesitant to discuss their qualifications or provide verifiable information, consider it a warning sign and continue your search.
If you have an award you would like to add to this list, or have questions about the awards an attorney can earn, do not hesitate to get in touch with The Reeves Law Group today.
The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys is an organization devoted to recognizing the top criminal defense attorneys in the nation. With over a million attorneys in the United States, choosing the best lawyer is difficult. However, through a stringent selection process, the NACDA awards the best criminal defense attorneys in each state with our most prestigious honor of being named “TOP 10”. The very few attorneys (less than 1%) that are good enough to make our list have demonstrated an extraordinary amount of knowledge, skill, experience, expertise and success in their practice of criminal defense.
I agre with you.
Through a rigorous process, the NACDA’s TOP 10 award is given to out top attorneys. Fewer than 1% of attorneys qualify for this rank.