Update on New Jersey "Super Lawyers" Case

There's a brief piece here updating on the New Jersey litigation over whether it is ethical for a lawyer to use their designation "super lawyer." I've seen lawyers tout their "selection" as indicating, also, that it means they are one of only "2.5% of all lawyers" who receive the designation (or something like that). Hmmmm....

Comments

[charles f. buntack]

Super Lawyer // Have you no honor, sir?

Joseph Welch
1890 1954 1960

Yes Matthew there is a super lawyer, more than one, but Cookie don't get confused with what you see on TV. I'll tell you about one old lawyer who was here even before your mommy was born and he was a really real person.

--When General came back from the War and was our president almost everyone was afraid of the Russians. The were called "commies" and were supposed to be coming to hit us.

One man called Senator McCarthy had all America scared, he said the commies were everywhere and were almost the bosses of our army. That was called McCarthyism, but you don't have to remember that big word---now.

Things got so bad that even the army needed a lawyer but were not allowed to pay for him. The generals got an old lawyerman from Boston for free. His name was Joseph Welch and when all the TV's were on and there were bright lights in a big meeting room the old lawyer was forced to listen and listen and listen.

When the old lawyer was allowed to talk, he told Senator McCarthy to always tell the truth and stop trying to fool people. And then the old lawyer asked--
Have you no honor sir, at long last?

The Question was heard around the world and then all the other senators made Senator McCarthy go home. And then everyone was happy in America.

Tomorr--Grandma's calling, you'd better go.

[charles f. buntack]

Super Lawyers // Cleansing

Lawyers using the "super lawyer" term in their advertising have been under increasing criticism for misleading the public. Recently a Connecticut law firm had posted a notice advising it will no longer use that term because "the term 'Super Lawyer' may be misleading."

This firm tells us there are very many capable attorneys practicing law, and the term 'Super Lawyer' not guarantee that any such designation offers assurance to provide better legal services than a lawyer who does not use it. The firm goes on to say some of these other law offices may be closer to you as well as having lower rates and may have more experience with a particular area of the law.

That's a lot of words to say the Super Lawyer designation means nothing.

They could just as easily have said--Super Lawyer is a bogus concept and we no longer wish to be associated with it.-- No matter, the firm has shown integrity.

[Charles F. Buntack]

Super Lawyers// The Big Humbug

Cicero gained a reputation as being a super lawyer when Time was to be measured as B.C. Every period from then to now has had its super lawyers, but this term should not be confused with "Super Lawyers" of the present.

Today, "Super Lawyers" is a play on words, it has Ciceronian implications but it is a proprietary term, a copyrite item used in conjunction with Super Lawyers Magazine. The magazine has its mechanism to confer the use of the Title to members of the Bar, offers the opportunity to advertise the fact in the magazine and then the lawyer has license to proclaim to the world of an honor being bestowed--a scam if you please.

This is not to say anything is illegal, it seems to be nothing more than some well thought out conjuring by advertising people. However, any reasonable person might well conclude there is an ethical lapse not becoming to an Officer of the Court.

The Press has always addressed a select few as being a 'super lawyer' with the intent of being emphatic when referring to a specific individual of some accomplishment. But the term "Super Lawyers" is bogus, a humbug put upon an unknowing sector of the general public.