How we review
The rules every guide and ranking on The Counsel Report follows, and where each fact comes from.
What we publish
The Counsel Report publishes two things: guides that answer one specific question people ask before hiring a lawyer, and city-by-city lists of the firms our editors would call for a given type of case.
Where the facts come from
Every fact about a firm is read from a public source and dated: the firm's own website for practice areas, attorneys and published results; Google Business Profile for ratings and review counts; public registers where a state publishes one. We do not publish case results, awards or reviews we cannot point to.
How lists are ordered
Lists are editorial judgments. We weigh how central the type of case is to a firm's practice, the volume and recency of its client reviews, the results it publishes, how long it has practised, languages offered and fee terms. Two lists for the same city can order firms differently because they answer different questions.
Keeping pages current
Guides carry a "last reviewed" date that changes only when the content changes, and an update history that lists what changed. Ratings and firm details are refreshed on a rolling basis.
Links
We link to official sources such as courts, legislatures and state agencies, and to firms where we think a reader should go next. Other outbound links carry a nofollow attribute.
Not legal advice
Nothing on this site is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. Talk to a licensed attorney about your situation.