About Rising Stars

The General Survey

Lawyers are asked to nominate the best attorneys who are 40 or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less. They are instructed to nominate lawyers they have personally observed in action — whether as opposing counsel or co-counsel, or through other firsthand courtroom observation.

The Research Process

In addition to the general survey, the attorney-led research team reviews the credentials of potential candidates and assigns points based on a set of defined evaluation criteria. The research staff also confirms that nominees are properly licensed, in good standing with the state licensing agency, and, when possible, that they have no history of disciplinary action that would warrant removal from the list.

The Final Selection Process

The point totals from the general survey and research process are then added to arrive at a final tally. The lawyers are ranked by point totals and those with the highest point totals are named to the Rising Stars list. No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are named to the list. To ensure a diverse and well-balanced list, the research staff considers factors such as firm size, practice area and geographic location. The Rising Stars list includes both private practice attorneys and attorneys in non-private practice areas such as prosecutors, in-house counsel, judges and public service lawyers.

Where to Find Rising Stars

Rising Stars is published in California, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.