What Makes a Lawyer Super?
You can’t watch television, browse online, or even play a game on your phone without being bombarded with lawyer commercials. I mean, how many of us had even heard of mesothelioma before the ubiquitous lawyer ads for these cases?
Lawyers, particularly personal injury lawyers, get picked on often, sometimes for good reason.
But despite all the noise, there are some of us who are arguably better than the rest.
That’s why I am proud to announce that I was selected by my peers again as a Super Lawyer in Personal Injury, a designation I have held proudly since 2012.
I’ll discuss what this means and why it does, or does not matter.
Expert? Super? Best? Specialist?
Ethical rules prevent most lawyers from saying they are “experts” or that they “specialize in” a particular area of law. The exception is for smarty-pants lawyers like Intellectual Property/Trademark lawyers. Those are the folks smart enough to be actual scientists or engineers who just had to show off and get law degrees too!
The vast majority of lawyers cannot say they are specialists.
So how in the world do we differentiate ourselves from other lawyers who do the same thing we do?
Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers is a designation. It is something you cannot apply for; you must be nominated anonymously by your peers (to this day, I have no idea who nominated me). In addition to nominating a lawyer, that lawyer is then “peer-reviewed” by other Super Lawyers (I review hundreds of lawyers annually). Essentially only the top ten percent of lawyers earn this designation. All lawyers are screened for ethical complaints, and must be in good standing. Super Lawyers is run by Thompson Reuters, so obviously there is some profit motive at work, and advertising potential.
Is this a perfect system? Of course not. Nothing is perfect.
But the system does an excellent job of finding the cream of the crop. I challenge anyone to read the list of Super Lawyers every year and find any who are not excellent lawyers. Granted, my philosophy has always been in tune with Groucho Marx, who said he’d never belong to any club that would have someone like him as a member, but I can make an exception. I mean this sincerely. If you review the list of lawyers named to the Super Lawyers list, it is an awesome list of some of the greatest legal minds in the area, in a wide variety of legal practices. It’s an honor to be included among them.
Traits of a Lawyer who is Super
To me, what makes a lawyer super, other than being named to a list, would be traits like these:
- Thoroughness
- Congeniality
- Determination
- Ability to communicate with, and connect with, clients and opposing counsel
- Ethical and moral compass
Other Ways to Broadcast How Wonderful You Are
Lawyers advertise relentlessly, especially in “direct to consumer” areas (think personal injury, criminal law, divorce and family law, and bankruptcy) (rather than business to business—think commercial real estate, commercial litigation).
Certain consumers prefer the “loud and proud” types—the “Law Tigers,” the “Hammers,” and other billboard and television lawyers.
But not all consumers do. Many consumers educate themselves and tune out the loudmouths, focusing instead on the quality of the lawyer’s track record, ethical complaints, and reviews of former clients.
That’s where I hope my clients come from. I aim to differentiate myself from other injury lawyers by my attention to the client. I promise to respond personally to every phone call, text, and email as quickly as possible. I pride myself on going the extra mile to explain every step of the process, be honest about both pros and cons of a case, and push to get my clients the best outcomes available.
Being named a Super Lawyer is just another way to articulate what I’m already focused on doing.
Takeaways
- A “Super Lawyer” designation isn’t something a lawyer can apply for or buy
- Only a small percentage of lawyers in a practice area are eligible for a “Super Lawyer” designation
- A lawyer who is focused on your needs is better than one focused on their advertising persona
Contact Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Stephen Hoffman
In all cases involving injury, dog bites or injuries, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, or other injury and potential liability, if you have been hit by a vehicle immediately get medical treatment, report the crash to police and your own insurance company, and contact a lawyer with expertise in your type of case, such as bicycle accidents or pedestrians hit by cars.
If you've been in an accident and have questions, contact Chicago personal injury attorney Stephen L. Hoffman for a free consultation at (773) 944-9737. Stephen has over 30 years of legal experience and has collected millions of dollars for his clients. He is listed as a SuperLawyer, has a 10.0 rating on Avvo, and is BBB A+ accredited. He is also an Executive Level Member of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.
Stephen handles personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay anything up front, and he only gets paid if you do. Don’t wait another day; contact Stephen now.
