Publicizing Guidelines
General Rules
- Best Law Firms is always plural.
- The registration symbol should be included in the first mention of Best Law Firms® when referring to American law firm rankings. For international recognitions, the trademark symbol should be included in the first mention of Best Law Firms™ - [Country Name]. All following mentions of Best Law Firms in the same document do not need to include the marks.
- When publicizing Best Law Firms awards online, a hyperlink to your Best Law Firms profile or https://www.bestlawfirms.com/ is required.
- You are permitted to mention that you are distinguished by Best Law Firms®, but not that you are a “best law firm” or to suggest that an award by Best Law Firms guarantees a desired result nor imply an endorsement of any products or services.
- Do not include any language the viewer may misconstrue as the honored law firm being more skilled than firms who are not included in the rankings.
Badge Usage Guidelines
- Best Law Firms badges must be officially licensed for use.
- Permission for use of Best Law Firms badges begins on the date of purchase and lasts either 12 months after such purchase or until the next publication of rankings.
- To be eligible to use Best Law Firms badges, the firm must have a Best Law Firms ranking.
- Best Law Firms badges shall only be used in the form and colors provided, without modifications or alterations. Such badges will not be used in a way that would reflect poorly on Best Law Firms or Best Lawyers.
- Display of the standard Best Law Firms badge must be accompanied by a disclaimer noting the specifics of the award (National or Metro designation, the specialty and tier).
- Additionally, under no circumstances may a firm use the logo of Best Lawyers or Best Law Firms or any other creative, including badges, from Best Lawyers without the express licensing by Best Lawyers.
The badge may be used in the following ways:
- Lawyer or firm's website
- Footer of email messages
- Print or online marketing brochures, materials or statements
- Must first be provided to Best Lawyers for approval prior to production.
- The Best Law Firms badge may be used on billboards, outdoor advertisements and television ads only after the purchase of an additional license.
- Social media websites
How to Cite a Recognition
When announcing a Best Law Firms recognition, the ranked firm is required to prominently specify the following:
- Best Law Firms
- In America, the recognitions are referenced as Best Law Firms® and should be formatted exactly as written, retaining the capitalization style and registration mark.
- Internationally, the awards are distinguished as Best Law Firms™ - [Country Name]. For example, Best Law Firms™ - Australia should be formatted exactly as written, retaining the capitalization style, hyphen and trademark.
- Edition number or edition year (examples: 14th edition or 2025 edition)
- Tier designation
- Metropolitan or national classification
- Practice area(s) in which the award is given
Examples of Correct Language:
- Smith & McClean has been named a Tier 1 firm in Los Angeles for Appellate Practice in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms®.
- Smith & McClean has received a First-Tier ranking in L.A. in Appellate Practice by Best Law Firms® for the 14th edition.
- Smith & McClean has been named the 2024 “Law Firm of the Year” for Appellate Practice by Best Law Firms®.
- Smith & McClean has been named in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms® as a Tier 1 national firm in three practice areas.
- If your firm has multiple awards, it is permissible to state the number of rankings instead of listing them all — but please correlate the number of rankings to the metro / national designation and be sure to specify the tier.
- Omokaro LLC has been named the 2025 “Law Firm of the Year” for Education Law by Best Law Firms™ - Australia.
- Petit Law has earned a national Tier 1 ranking for Banking and Franchise Law in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms™ - Australia.
- Holsenback and Grissett has been named in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms™ - Australia as a Tier 1 national firm in Family Law, and a Tier 1 firm in Melbourne for three practice areas.
- If your firm has multiple awards, it is permissible to state the number of rankings instead of listing them all — but please correlate the number of rankings to the metro / national designation and be sure to specify the tier
The official current edition Best Law Firms badge must be licensed for use on your website or any other marketing materials. If found using an unauthorized badge, Best Lawyers will request that the badge be removed. If you have additional questions about marketing opportunities, you can always contact a Best Lawyers team member.
For any questions related to our Publicizing Guidelines, please contact our Senior Public Relations Manager Alliccia Odeyemi, at aodeyemi@bestlawyers.com.