For the first time, Super Lawyers has published a Kentucky directory, listing who it believes are the top five percent of the state's 14,000 attorneys based on peer recognition and professional achievement. Not surprisingly, ten of the twelve family lawyers selected are Fellows of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers: Mitchell A. Charney, Sandra M. Dawahare, Douglas S. Haynes, William L. Hoge, III, Steven J. Kriegshaber, Martha A. Rosenberg, Louis I. Waterman, Natalie S. Wilson, Catesby Woodford, and yours truly. In fact, of the Louisville family lawyers listed, all are AAML members. Moreover, the top 25 women lawyers in the state, from all disciplines, were listed and three of our AAML family lawyers were included, Natalie S. Wilson, Lexington, Martha A. Rosenberg, Lexington and me. They claim impeccable surveying and independent research. There are many, many great lawyers not listed, but I didn't notice any slackers among those picked.
Yet, I can't see what void this publication fills; Martindale Hubbell has offered peer reviews for decades. "Super Lawyers" does offer some ego feeding for a price: $259 plaques to hang and $495 profiles for the website that get you listed at the top. That may be a bargain compared to a paid listing on Martindale-Hubbell. Kentucky's picks are not yet up on the website www.SuperLawyers.com.
Some big firms already have updated their own websites with the news and have sent out press releases. Lawyers in Kentucky are not generally permitted to compare themselves to other lawyers. Past posts about the related ethical issues have appeared on this site here and here. Kentucky Law Review has posts here and here. The Indiana Law Blog has posted about it here and links to a number of its pasts posts on the topic here.
I guess I better submit this post to the KBA Advertising Commission with a check for 50 bucks and see what happens. If it is not approved, I'll take the post down. It's not a bone I want to pick. But, I'll let you know.
UPDATE: Here's the resonse I recieved from the KBA Advertising Commission.
The AAC has reviewed advertisement # 04602, your Superlawyers Blog submission. The Commission does not consider this an advertisement for legal services, pursuant to SCR 3.130(7.02) and has asked that I refund your $50.00 filing fee.
I have requested the Kentucky Bar Association accounting department prepare a check and for $50.00 and send it to you. It should be forthcoming.
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