How to Determine the Best Law Firms
The law firms that earn their way into the "Top-Rated" category in the preceding section are there for a reason. Every year, millions of readers—including potential clients and their friends, acquaintances, and associates—turn to Super Lawyers for guidance in identifying leading lawyers within their communities. Super Lawyers uses a multiphase selection process that includes peer nominations, evaluations, and thorough research. The patented selection process for annual lists of outstanding lawyers comes into play at this stage. Super Lawyers sends surveys to tens of thousands of lawyers across 70 practice areas and collects information on candidates from all levels of professional achievement. Peer evaluations by practice area are also conducted. All research and ratings are carried out each year and the selected top attorneys are then announced. The selection criteria used include:
- 45 percent: Ballots are sent out to lawyers from all 50 states, asking them to nominate lawyers they have personally observed in action, whom they would recommend to others.
- 5 percent: 5 percent of the total score is based on third-party research. The process takes into account a number of metrics, including the average number of former or currently practicing attorneys, and the number of hours worked . It also looks at the percentage of attorneys who work in private practice versus public service, academics, or the judiciary.
- 40 percent: 40 percent of the total score is derived from peer nominations, recognizing lawyers who received the highest numbers of nominations from their fellow lawyers.
- 10 percent: Nominees are asked whether they have been in good standing with their state’s bar association for the past five years. They must also have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Candidates are then reviewed with respect to 10 different indicators as part of an independent assessment, which includes 9 of the measures used by the selection committee for the 5% in an Adversarial Proceeding.
The above list is not meant to be exhaustive. Other considerations may be relevant to the selection process as well, since these can change from year to year, depending on how many individuals have the ability or experience to satisfy the requirements in the list above. All state lists are prepared in accordance with the method described above, with adjustments in the factors that exceed the total percentage of 100% so that the weighted averages remain balanced and consistent.
Highly Respected NJ Law Firms
In addition to highly rated New Jersey law firms, our NJ certified attorneys specifically looked for top rated attorneys from well known firms and surveyed the lawyers at the top rated law firms in New Jersey.
Hogan Lovells US LLP is a subsidiary of the British law firm Hogan Lovells which has over 250 lawyers in 12 offices throughout the US. Some of their lawyers are specialized in areas such as employment, product liability, antitrust and advertising law, crossing over with wealth management (wills, trusts, estate planning and probate), all of which gives them the legal edge in promoting their clients’ business interests effectively. They are highly skilled at dealing with various legal matters and are one of the most distinguished law firms in their practice areas.
Goodkin/Emmanuelson & Associates is a boutique law firm situated in Union City, NJ. Their lawyers specialize in appellate law, estate and trust litigation, family, personal injury and bankruptcy law. They represent clients in a wide range of legal matters including complex civil litigation in State and Federal Courts, ranging from defamation of character cases, unlawful employment and whistle-blower retaliation law to Inuit law, maritime and real estate law.
Latham & Watkins is a global law firm headquartered in Los Angeles, with over 1000 lawyers spread throughout 14 countries. Their lawyers specialize in advising clients in the power and renewable energy, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and high yield debt transactions. Their clients are global in scale and they serve a wide range of businesses, including those in the chemicals, electronic media, entertainment law and telecommunications industries.
McCarter & English is a law firm that serves a wide array of local, national and international clients across multiple industries from start-ups through top Fortune 500 corporations. The firm’s lawyers have extensive trial experience and provide integrated advice on high-stake commercial, intellectual property and securities disputes. Their lawyers have represented hundreds of clients throughout their litigation and appeal proceedings, including companies from the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare, consumer products and retail, hospitality, energy, insurance, real estate, telecommunications and technology and information industries.
Wolff & Samson is another well-known full-service law firm based in Roseland, NJ and they pride themselves in their specialized practitioners who have experience in complex areas of the law. They work with a team of professional staff to advise their clients in business litigation and corporate disputes and they have the methods and strategies to devise appropriate solutions. Their clients range from large businesses and multinational corporations to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Varied Practice Areas Available
Leading New Jersey law firms offer a wide array of legal services, which enables them to assist clients in many different areas. A diverse range of practice areas allows law firms to cater to all types of prospective clients. Whether you are an individual going through a divorce, or a corporation needing legal advice regarding a complex real estate transaction, a top-rated attorney can handle all of your legal needs.
Attorneys provide comprehensive services in family law, real estate law, personal injury law, criminal defense, business law, employment law, intellectual property law, municipal law, medical malpractice, environmental law, products liability, workers’ compensation, and more! These diverse specialties ensure that the lawyers can meet client needs in all situations. You will likely discover that no matter your legal situation, a premier law firm in New Jersey possesses the knowledge and experience necessary to help.
With their long histories, sound legal credentials, and commitment to clients, the most prominent law firms in the State of New Jersey have built a reputation for excellence. Because of this, numerous individuals, families, and businesses rely on these full-service law firms for their legal needs. One of the biggest advantages to consulting with a top-rated law firm is that you will be connected with seasoned attorneys who can handle all of your legal matters.
How to Select the Best Law Firm for Your Needs
Identifying the right law firm for your individual or business needs can be a daunting process. With extensive information available on the internet, choosing from the plethora of available search results, sites, ratings and reviews can be overwhelming. Once you find a name, how do you know if it’s the right fit? More importantly, how do you confirm that a five-star rating is valid before giving out all of your sensitive confidential information?
Here are some practical tips for picking the best law firm in New Jersey:
Fees, Fees, Fees
Legal fees are of course one of the major components to consider when selecting a law firm. While you want to choose the most capable firm for your needs, you also need to be comfortable with the firm’s fee schedule and rates. Ask how fees are billed, including hourly rates, retainers, fixed fee options, and any other assorted charges such as filing fees or shipping. Once all of this information is on the table, it should be easier to narrow down your choices as to which firm best suites your budget.
Client-Attorney Communication
Having a law firm that communicates well with its clients is another important consideration. No one wants to hire a firm that is absent or dismissive. This factor is particularly important for time-sensitive cases where immediate response is vital to the outcome. With this in mind , prior to choosing a firm, ask how quickly a feedback response can be expected. Having the firm’s contact information easily accessible might also come in handy if you have a question or concern while going through the intake process.
Legal Expertise
Understanding how well-versed a firm’s attorneys are in the area of law that you may be facing is another key factor. For obvious reasons, there is no point in hiring a law firm for a family law matter when the firm specializes in criminal matters. Are you going through an amicable divorce that only requires banning alimony and child support? If not, you want to be sure the firm you hire has experience with complex cases involving distribution, palimony, change in circumstances, tax implications, and other possible matters that could arise in your case.
Proximity
There are many factors that go into hiring a legal representative, such as specialty, location, and fees. While it may not seem like a key component initially, location should be a consideration. If you plan on having frequent consultations with your attorney, it makes sense to hire a law firm near you.
Best Law Firm Success Stories
The transformative role that top-rated law firms play for their clients is on full display in success stories from some of New Jersey’s best.
For example, in 2014, a prominent case outlined the quality lawyers build their brands on for life. A motorist from Chatham was injured in an accident in Bridgewater Township. The defendant traveled to the scene of the accident in a tow truck, and was attempting to fix a vehicle that had broken down across from the plaintiff’s vehicle on a two lane road.
The opposing driver had called a company to haul his broken down car. Defendants’ expert, experienced in normal "tow truck" type cases, and familiar with towing practices, testified that the company that dispatched defendant, was a pick up company. Not a tow company. Therefore, the man defendant used to come to the scene was not an employee, and was not using the vehicle in the scope of his employment, is not a defendant and the company isn’t responsible.
A battery of experts participated, including an accident reconstructionist, a biomechanical engineer, medical doctors including a neurologist, radiologist, neuropsychologist, rehabilitation physicians and even one of the top spinal surgeons in the world. Suffice to say, had the case gone to trial, the jury would’ve heard an earful on the standard of care for the light duty load, and should’ve imposed liability on the defendant and company who he worked for.
The defendant admitted liability, and Plaintiff recovered 900,000 dollars. The "medical specialists," received over 700,000 dollars but the plaintiff suffered and will continue to suffer because of the injury, and needs to be compensated fairly.
In another example, a young accountant was being pinned against the wall of a parking garage by a full size pickup truck when the driver, a recent dealer at a dealer show at Somerset Gateway, accelerated instead of applying the brakes due to the fact he discovered his foot was on the accelerator, not the brake.
The plaintiff suffered severe neck, back and shoulder injuries requiring two chest tube, mechanical ventilation for more than a week and a prolonged stay in the hospital. He is now a differently abled man. He requires constant medical care and is no longer able to work. The young man’s recovery in excess of 2 million dollars. He had no money at the time. He had no insurance. He survived on workman’s compensation and state assistance.
His uncle received 175,000 dollars as a result of the representation by firms in NJ. He was a senior partner in a private practice in northern New Jersey.
The contracts were complex and required extensive litigation. Credit goes to the litigation partners for NJ, who pioneered the sophisticated litigation techniques required for this style of case, and for taking an innovative approach vis-a-vis the bar association and the courts. The firm for whom they worked was able to expand its practice areas significantly. The whole effort made both a commercial and social difference for New Jersey. The township was happy for the resolution as it avoids layoffs and tax increases. The county was similarly happy to avoid the loss of free services the township provided.
In a third example, the interim Director of Operations for a large multi-store home improvement center was walking through the complex in Mt Olive, New Jersey when he slipped on a wet floor that had just been mopped. He suffered a torn rotator cuff, and was unable to continue in his operations post. He required surgery and a long course of therapy and rehabilitation.
As a result of the unfortunate incident, the plaintiff was required to walk away from his position as Director of Operations, and was subsequently terminated. He had a life long career in home improvements, and simply could not find alternative employment following his termination.
Several months of negotiations resulted in a substantial compensation package that included compensation for lost wages, lost promotional opportunity, out of pocket medical expenses, and pain and suffering. It also included damages to offset the additional medical expenses and lost wages for the defendant’s delay attributable to their continuing argument regarding the application doctrine of negligent creation of risk. The defendant believed he breached the duty of care to maintain the common area of its business, required him to establish negligence.
In each of these circumstances, we have the luxury of working with excellent lawyers, each with a specialization that results in personal involvement. Each of the lawsuits is the result of an outstanding effort and diligent representation. Each of the cases is complex.
When you hire a firm and they don’t call you back for three weeks, you may be looking for a different firm. It is your firm working for you. Do not hesitate to call them for a status update or info on your case. All of that said, experience is no substitute for skill, dedication and diligence – something these New Jersey’s top law firms have no shortage of.
Reviews and Comments from Clients
The landscape of the legal services market is vast and diverse, with countless options for individuals and businesses in need of representation. Among these options are the top-rated law firms in New Jersey, known for their high levels of client satisfaction, expertise in the state’s unique legal landscape, and strong reputation. These firms have garnered praise not only from satisfied clients but also from within the legal community itself, receiving accolades and awards from legal rating organizations and peer-reviewed publications.
The best way to determine whether a law firm is right for your legal needs is to carefully consider feedback from those who have already utilized their services. A favorable review on a legal directory can solidify a law firm’s status as a premier provider in the state. For instance, if a law firm has consistently received high ratings on Super Lawyers, it’s likely because their lawyers have consistently delivered exceptional results for clients.
Even a cursory glance at a few testimonials can provide you with valuable insight into what you can expect as either a current or future client of an area’s best firms. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the recommendations and reviews provided by Super Lawyers and Avvo, two of the most respected sources for lawyer reviews in the country .
Both platforms feature a comprehensive database that provides reviews and client endorsements that can give you a leg up in choosing the right lawyer for your needs. By looking over the top-rated lawyers in the Garden State as selected by Super Lawyers and Avvo, you can quickly determine which of the state’s best law firms is right for your needs.
A recent selection of reviews highlights a wide range of positive experiences: "I was referred to this office by four lawyers to assist me in navigating an employment ordeal. Within hours of retaining the firm, my attorney was able to reach a settlement that resolved the problem, saving me from an expensive divorce." "I’ve used this firm twice now for different real estate closings and both times have had a smooth experience. The Attorney and staff are efficient and friendly. I would highly recommend this Law Firm." "This Law Group was wonderful to work with! I would recommend them to anyone in need of a divorce or child custody lawyer."
Lawyers are often rated by their peers for accolades, so these lawyer and client recommendations are a healthy mix of what lawyers themselves think, and what real people experience when working with these attorneys. It’s likely that an attorney with a plethora of positive reviews and ratings on Super Lawyers has received praise from his or her peers and court affiliates as well.
