FINDING THE BEST LAWYER: WHAT EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW

Beyond online reviews and advertising, learn the key indicators that help distinguish highly respected attorneys from the crowd

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BACKGROUND:
Most people don't think about finding a lawyer until they actually need one and are faced with an overwhelming number of choices. In fact, there are more than 1.3 million lawyers practicing in the United States alone, according to the ABA National Lawyer Population Survey.

Between search engines, advertisements, AI queries, social media and word-of-mouth recommendations, there is no shortage of information available when searching for legal representation. According to FindLaw’s 2024 U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey:

• 97% of respondents who searched for a lawyer online used a search engine, specifically Google, during the process.
• 82% of respondents who found a lawyer online used online reviews as part of their decision-making and nearly 40% said reviews were their primary source of information.
• 48% of respondents relied on referrals from family, friends, or coworkers, making personal referrals the #1 offline source for finding a lawyer.

In addition, ChatGPT has become the #2 source to search for a lawyer with usage more than tripling in two years, a 2025 iLawyer Marketing survey found.

With all of this information readily available, how do you know who's actually the best lawyer for you, not just the best at marketing themselves online? Best Lawyers^® provides trusted, peer-reviewed recognition of top legal professionals. For more than 40 years, its unbiased peer review process has set the standard for merit-based legal distinction, offering consumers the ability to find credible, experienced counsel with confidence.

In this segment, Phillip Greer, CEO of Best Lawyers, explains why peer recognition remains one of the strongest indicators of professional reputation, how consumers can evaluate credibility when looking for a local attorney online, and why you shouldn’t leave a high-stakes decision to a generic Google search.

For more information, please visit: www.bestlawyers.com

MORE ABOUT PHILLIP GREER
Phillip Greer has driven the continual evolution of Best Lawyers^® since joining in 2005, becoming President in 2013 and CEO in 2018. As CEO of the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, he has fostered a multi-million-dollar company with clients ranging from AmLaw 200 firms to sole practitioners. Tapping into his training as an engineer, Phillip created the company’s first content management system, taking the organization and its products from analog to digital, while maintaining the integrity of the Best Lawyers peer-review methodology employed for more than 40 years. Through the years, he has led international expansion strategies that ensure lawyers and firms around the world receive the recognition they deserve with legal rankings in 76 countries.

Produced for: Best Lawyers

Media Contact

Alesia Bani
Communications Manager, Best Lawyers
[email protected]