Lawdragon is a media company that offers professionals timely tools to build their practice, including legal news, online profiles, with accompanying podcasts and video interviews, and targeted advertising platforms.

We are well known for our annual guide, the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America and the Lawdragon Finalists (the approximately 3000 top private practitioners, judges, academics and government lawyers from which each year’s 500 are selected). In 2008, we introduced a new feature, the “Need to Know” lawyer series, looking at 100 Lawyers You Need to Know in a variety of practice and management focuses. In 2008, we will present: [link to editorial calendar here,]

In addition, our evaluation service provides a Consumer Reports approach that works in partnership with other publishers, like Human Resources Executive, to present special reports on leading lawyers in a variety of practice and geographic targets.

Any member of our staff would be delighted to answer any specific questions you have about Lawdragon or its services. A directory of our staff and their areas of expertise can be found here.

The Lawdragon Guides

Q: How can I become a Lawdragon 500?

A: The Lawdragon 500 is the most selective designation an attorney practicing in the United States can achieve. It is an annual look at the practitioners, judges and academics who are handling the biggest cases and deals and making the greatest impact on the law. All 1.1 million practicing U.S. lawyers can be considered. However, in its three years, there are specific characteristics shared by members of the list:

• In practice at least 15 years, and generally 20.
• A partner in a law firm (unless that person is a judge, academic or public lawyer). No associate has ever been accepted and “counsel” are almost never included.
• Playing the lynchpin role in current cases or deals making headlines. Supporting players are more likely to be Finalists, but rarely in the 500.
• Generally a very significant business developer for his or her firm. Those not known for bringing in business typically exhibit unique skills in analysis, writing or specialized areas of legal thought.
• Have brought change to a legal institution or development of legal theory.
• A member and generally a leader of their practice or geographic bar association.
• Recognized by admission to “member only” bars selected by their peers.
• Receive numerous positive endorsements from national peers and almost never negative responses.

The 500 changes significantly from year to year, reflecting the practice areas that are sizzling at the moment, as well as those we believe will be of greatest impact in the year ahead. The lawyers are chosen through a combination of research by Lawdragon editorial staff and submissions from law firms. We also post an online ballot allowing visitors to Lawdragon.com to vote for their favorite lawyers, and we factor these results into our final decision making. We make a first cut of Finalists in the summer, then cull the 500 from this list.

Q: Who makes up the Finalists?

A: The Lawdragon Finalists are the approximately 3000 lawyers from which each year’s 500 are selected. In our three years of selecting Finalists and 500s, here are some characteristics more common of the Finalists: • They are often the senior statesmen or women in their firm or field; unlike other ranking or laudatory lists, the Lawdragon 500 does not stand on ceremony or past achievement, noting it instead in the Finalists. • They can also be the emerging talent on the cusp of being one of the very top national leaders in their practice field (the 500 surveys nearly 100 practice areas, so an attorney who is not one of the top 10 nationally in their field will seldom make the 500). • They amply represent the top lawyers in the major practice and geographic regions of the country, with at least 100 drawn from every major market. Many of these lawyers do not yet have a national profile.

Q: How does the 100 Lawyers You Need to Know differ from the Finalists and the 500?

A: The Need to Know lists are a bit more expansive in terms of years of experience and the ability to be considered and included based on a lawyer’s role in one major case or deal. It can encompass those lawyers frequently considered for “rising stars” compilations, as well as workaday practitioners who are not the lead lawyer in matters, but whose work is considered critical by those who are. Those selected for the Need to Know lists are automatically included as Finalists for that year’s Lawdragon 500.

Q: Is there a form to fill out?

A: Lawdragon prides itself on doing our own independent research that acknowledges submissions by any individual who wants to bring our attention to a legal professional, but then puts that person through a rigorous proprietary review process beyond the reach of marketing pitches. We accept submissions in emails and phone calls from industry sources at all times. In spring 2008 we will implement a simple form you can submit for our guides. We also will also be posting our annual ballot for the Lawdragon 500 in the Spring.

Q: What about photographs?

A: We have a staff photographer, Hugh Williams, who takes the photos you see featured in the editorial portion of our website. We also offer his services to members who would like professional photography to accompany their personal profile page. We charge a small additional fee for this service.

Other Lawdragon Products and Services

Q: Some of our attorneys write articles, while others deliver presentations. How can Lawdragon address the different types of practices each attorney has?

A: Lawdragon posts in the bodies of the biographies links to all of the following: articles, presentations, representative cases, white papers and podcasts (audio and/or video).

Q: What is the Featured Listing about?

A: Throughout the day, each paid profile will have a random rotation display of their condensed profile on our homepage and on many secondary pages as a benefit for having paid for an expanded profile.

Q: What about the Featured Evaluations?

A: Since our inception, Lawdragon has featured the evaluations we receive about lawyers and judges, posting them prominently on our homepage on a random rotation.

Q: Is there a cost to have my Evaluations posted?

A: No, that is a feature Lawdragon extends to any attorney listed on our site.

Q: If we submit an article, will Lawdragon post it on your News/Articles page?

A: Quite likely, yes. Lawdragon is eager to receive articles across all practice groups and legal issues. We will post articles that we feel would interest our readers and that fit our editorial mission. It may be that some articles will not be timely or relevant to our wide readership. In such situations, attorneys can still post these articles on their personal profile pages, and it’s possible that the articles or revised versions of them could get posted on our news pages at a later date.

Q: I have seen many different magazines that Lawdragon has published in the past. Will we be seeing those again this year and in subsequent years?

A: No, Lawdragon is now publishing its print issue once a year. Our magazine featuring The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America will come out each Fall. Voting for the list will commence in the Spring, and the list will be announced in the Fall, prior to the publication.

Q: I have a small practice and I don’t have time or the know-how to get you all of my data to expand my profile. How do we proceed?

A: Lawdragon can do all of the work. We will pull all of the posting material from your site, or request that material from an assistant, and build it for you. Once completed, we will submit a test profile for your approval and will post to the public site only after you have signed off on the profile.

Q: I’m under-staffed in my Marketing Department. How do we coordinate building 50 or more profiles for the partners?

A: Lawdragon can do all of the work by building the profiles and submitting them to you for approval before posting them on our site.

Q: My firm doesn’t advertise online. Why should we expand our profiles on Lawdragon?

A: Lawdragon is the first online site that can and does substantiate visits by the most sought after demographic – clients and prospective clients.

Q: I see you offer video production, but we don’t do that sort of thing. Why should I consider video?

A: The days of reading biographies and lengthy CVs will soon be over. Soon, Chairman and Department Chairs will use the chapterized video medium to reach their prospects and deliver their nuanced messages in a much more effective and timely manner. These videos will have a tremendous “pass along” value and can be replicated to reach a much broader audience than a Marketing Department can identify. Lawdragon’s studio quality video will be posted on our site and will allow the firms to post them on their site. The videos may also serve a recruiting function for the firm as well.

Q: How often can an attorney update his/her basic listing? Attorneys are encouraged to register with Lawdragon. This is available for free. Once registered, a user is able to take control of his listing and update and change information as appropriate and as often as necessary.

Q: How often can an attorney update his/her expanded profile? Profiles on the Lawdragon site should be up-to-date and accurate. To that end, we invite attorneys to send us updates as they occur. Lawdragon also sends test links of an attorney’s enhanced profile before being posted to ensure accuracy. Lawdragon handles many profiles, so to maximize effectiveness, we request that the changes be consolidated before sending to Lawdragon. Because the main body of a paid profile is formatted in our computer system, our administrative staff will make the changes in the biographies.

Q: I created a listing on your website, but a listing already exists for me. How do I merge them?

A: Send an e-mail with your Name, Organization name and Lawdragon username to accounts@lawdragon.com.

Q: I registered, but I never received my activation e-mail. What should I do?

A: Send an e-mail with your Lawdragon username to accounts@lawdragon.com. Another activation e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address you used to register.

Q: Does Lawdragon verify evaluations before posting them?

A: Lawdragon requires all evaluations to be submitted with a valid email address so that we have a way to verify them, if necessary. Lawdragon takes every opportunity to ensure the veracity of the evaluations before they are posted. Because the legal network extends across the nation, a few may slip by. We rely on attorneys' feedback to help us with checks and balances.

Q: Does Lawdragon post negative evaluations?

A: While we receive many positive evaluations, we also receive less-than-glowing reviews of attorneys and judges. Because Lawdragon believes in the power of transparency, if the reviews are legitimate, then yes, they will be posted.