This article is part of our Law Firm Marketing Guide: how clients find lawyers online, what the advertising rules allow, and how to choose the right help. Want to know where your firm's site stands? Get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours.
For most law firms, the free profiles on the major legal directories are worth claiming, and the paid upgrades are worth buying only after you check them against your own leads. A claimed profile gives you control over your name, practice areas, phone number and website link on pages that people and search tools already read. Paid placements are a separate decision that depends on your practice area, market and intake.
This guide explains what Avvo, Justia, FindLaw, Martindale-Hubbell and Super Lawyers say about themselves on their own pages, checked on 29 October 2026. It also covers which of these brands sit in the same corporate network and what bar rules say about paying for listings and showing ratings.
It is part of our Law Firm Marketing Guide, which covers every stage from getting found to hiring help.
Key Takeaways
- Justia and Avvo both invite lawyers to claim a profile, and Justia's directory page says its profiles are free for licensed attorneys.
- Several big brands are related: FindLaw's marketing pages list FindLaw.com, SuperLawyers.com, Abogado.com and LawInfo.com as its directory sites, and Avvo describes itself as part of the Martindale-Avvo legal network.
- Super Lawyers says it selects no more than 5 percent of lawyers in a state, and Martindale-Hubbell says its peer review ratings come from other lawyers.
- Under ABA Model Rule 7.2, paying for directory listings is generally allowed, but paying someone to recommend you is not.
- Some states set specific rules for showing awards and ratings. For example, Florida requires the award name and date in most cases.
- Claim and correct free profiles first, then test paid placements against tracked calls and signed cases.
Why legal directories still matter
People researching a lawyer often check more than one source. Directory profiles show up in regular search results, and they are third-party pages that AI tools can read. Our guide to how ChatGPT recommends lawyers explains how AI answers draw on web search.
A directory profile helps in three ways:
- Consistency. Your firm name, address and phone number match across the web.
- Credibility. Bar admissions, education and reviews in one place.
- A path to your site. Most profiles include a link to your website.
Directories do not replace your own site or your Google Business Profile. They support them.
The five directories, from their own pages
Justia
The Justia Lawyer Directory tells attorneys that claiming, verifying and updating a profile "is free and easy to do." Justia's directory marketing page lists "Free profiles for licensed attorneys," distribution in the Justia and LII directories, and paid Platinum and Gold premium placements for higher visibility.
Avvo
Avvo's page for lawyers invites attorneys to "Claim Your Profile" and offers profiles, reviews, visibility tools and advertising. It mentions a "Free Avvo Rating & Awards" feature with an Avvo Rating on a 1 to 10 scale. The page says Avvo is "a part of Martindale-Avvo legal network."
Martindale-Hubbell
Martindale-Hubbell's ratings page describes three Peer Review Ratings: AV Preeminent, Distinguished and Notable. It says a lawyer's ethical standards and legal ability in a practice area are assessed by their peers. It also describes client review badges. For example, a "Platinum Client Champion" has at least 10 reviews with an average score of 4.5 or higher.
Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers' selection process page describes a "patented multiphase selection process" in four steps: nominations, independent research, peer evaluation by practice area, and final selection. It says 5 percent of the lawyers in a state are selected for Super Lawyers, and the top 2.5 percent of remaining eligible candidates are named Rising Stars. The page quotes a Special Master's finding that Super Lawyers does "not permit a lawyer to buy one's way onto the list."
FindLaw
FindLaw's legal directory advertising page lists four directory sites in its network: FindLaw.com, SuperLawyers.com, Abogado.com and LawInfo.com. It says a FindLaw.com Premium Profile starts "at $158 per month," as of 29 October 2026. The same page says advertising on the Martindale-Avvo network (Martindale, Avvo and Lawyers.com) is bundled into its Authority Suite package.
Quick comparison
| Directory | Free profile on vendor's page? | Paid options named on vendor's page | Related brands named on vendor's page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justia | Yes, "free profiles for licensed attorneys" | Platinum and Gold placements | Justia and LII directories |
| Avvo | "Claim Your Profile"; free Avvo Rating | Advertising, websites | Martindale-Avvo legal network |
| Martindale-Hubbell | Not stated on the ratings page | Not stated on the ratings page | Martindale-Avvo network (per Avvo and FindLaw pages) |
| Super Lawyers | Listing is by selection, not sign-up | Premium profiles (per FindLaw's page) | FindLaw network (per FindLaw's page) |
| FindLaw | Not stated on the advertising page | Premium Profile from $158/month | SuperLawyers.com, Abogado.com, LawInfo.com |
Vendors change their pages often. Check each site before you sign anything.
What the ethics rules say about directories
Paying for a listing is generally allowed
ABA Model Rule 7.2 lets lawyers pay the reasonable costs of advertising. Comment [3] names "on-line directory listings" among the costs a lawyer may pay. Comment [2] says directory listings that list lawyers by practice area, "without more," are not improper "recommendations."
The line is a paid recommendation. If a site says or implies that it is vouching for you because you paid, that raises a different question under Rule 7.2. Read your contract and the way your profile is presented.
Showing ratings and awards
Ratings are a common reason firms join directories. States treat them differently.
- Florida. Rule 4-7.14 treats references to recognition by an entity that claims to judge ability as potentially misleading unless the entity is a bona fide organization using objective, uniformly applied criteria. Its comment says a lawyer may list bona fide awards using the actual award name and the date it was given. It gives "AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell" and a dated Super Lawyers listing as permissible examples.
- New York. Rule 7.1(b)(1) lists "bona fide professional ratings" among the information an advertisement may include.
- Texas. Rule 7.05(c) exempts "a listing or entry in a regularly published law list" from the Texas advertising filing requirement, unless it fails to comply with the content rules.
Rules vary by state, so check badges and award wording with your state bar before you add them to your site. Our article on lawyer advertising rules for websites covers the wider rules.
Reviews on directory profiles
Avvo, Martindale and others display client reviews. Replying to a negative review is where firms get into trouble. The ABA's Formal Opinion 496 says a lawyer who responds online must not disclose information relating to a client matter. It suggests that lawyers consider not responding at all, or invite the person to talk privately. See lawyer reviews and testimonials rules for more.
How to decide which ones are worth it
Use this order. It keeps costs low and gives you data before you spend.
- Claim every free profile you can. Start with Justia and Avvo, then any others where your profile already exists.
- Make each profile match. Same firm name, address, phone, practice areas and website link as your site and Google listing.
- Add real detail. Bar admissions, education, languages and a clear photo.
- Track where leads come from. Ask "How did you find us?" at intake and use a distinct tracking link on each profile.
- Test one paid upgrade at a time. Give it a fixed trial period and compare calls and signed cases, not views.
- Review yearly. Drop anything that does not bring cases you want.
Watch for these red flags in a directory sales pitch:
- Lead counts promised before they know your market.
- Long contracts with automatic renewal.
- Leads sold to several firms at once without saying so.
- Wording that suggests the site recommends you because you paid.
Directories are one part of local visibility. Links from respected legal sites can also help, which we cover in why authority links matter for lawyers.
Next step
Once your free profiles are claimed, the bigger budget question is how to split money between SEO and paid ads. Read law firm SEO vs PPC next. Or get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours, including a check of how your firm details match across the web.
Frequently asked questions
Are legal directory profiles free?
Some are. Justia says its directory profiles are free for licensed attorneys, and Avvo invites lawyers to claim a profile and lists a free Avvo Rating. Paid placements and premium profiles are sold separately. Check each directory's own page for current terms.
Is it ethical to pay for a legal directory listing?
Under ABA Model Rule 7.2 and its comments, paying the reasonable cost of an online directory listing is generally permitted. What is not allowed is paying someone to recommend you. Your state's version of the rule controls, so confirm with your state bar.
Can I put my Super Lawyers or AV rating on my website?
Often yes, but the wording matters. For example, Florida's rules allow bona fide awards listed by their actual name and the date given, and New York allows bona fide professional ratings in advertising. Check your own state's rules before adding badges.
Are Avvo, Martindale and FindLaw the same company?
Their own pages show they are connected. Avvo says it is part of the Martindale-Avvo legal network. FindLaw's marketing page lists SuperLawyers.com among its directory sites and says advertising on the Martindale-Avvo network is bundled into one of its packages. Corporate ownership can change, so check the current terms before you buy.
Which legal directory brings the most clients?
It depends on your practice area and market, and no directory can promise case numbers. The reliable way to find out is to claim free profiles, track the source of every lead, and test paid upgrades one at a time against signed cases.
