IT IS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT IS THE WORST OF TIMES

I love the fall. It is my favorite season. There is a crispness in the air. The leaves start to change color up at Mt. Charleston. College and pro football begin their seasons. I have always loved fall.

Fall, just like everything else, has its flaws however. Fall’s flaws aren’t its fault. Fall’s primary flaw is man made and it is “The Best of Las Vegas” popularity contest. It is the business version of running for prom king and queen. And, it infuriates me to no end. Why, you may ask? Well, let me tell you.

I am generally against lawyer advertising. I get why some law firms advertise. And, they can be effective and a few of them are not offensive or blatantly misleading. Some are blatantly misleading- like when a lawyer who has likely never tried a jury trial to verdict pretends to be getting a verdict in favor of his client or when two lawyers who probably haven’t met with more than 10 clients in the past five years are seen taking pictures of a wrecked car at a tow yard. But, the “Best of Las Vegas” poll takes the cake for spawning misleading information.

I am not making this up. There are lawyers (well at least one) who on Facebook has solicited votes for the “Best of Las Vegas” poll by offering a chance to win $100. Another has offered to donate $10,000 to a local charity if his firm wins. Others merely post requests on Facebook to “vote for me” as if they were running to win “best smile” or “biggest flirt” in their senior high school yearbook.

I despise the “Best of Las Vegas” poll because the titles they bestow on the winners such as “Best Trial Lawyer” or “Best Personal Injury Lawyer” have no basis in any merit.  None.
And as I have posted before, the vast majority of awards lawyers tout on their web pages don’t.  It is simply based on the number of votes from anyone- friends, family members, past clients,their cat who sits on their keyboard, you name it, who happens to take the time to push a button (or who is looking to win that $100).

The best trial lawyer in Las Vegas does not need a billboard espousing himself as said best trial lawyer. Neither does “the best” personal injury lawyer.But, placing the lawyer’s ego aside, more importantly these titles mislead the public. That is why it is so important if you are looking for a personal injury lawyer to ask questions.Don’t blindly sign up with a law firm because of these bought and paid for awards or because you’ve been put into a trance due to having been glammed by smooth looking billboard. Do your homework and make an informed decision. Who is going to be working on your case? What percentage of cases do you drop? Do you ship the case off to another law firm if the case doesn’t settle. Do you not take more in fee even if you have to file a lawsuit?

Choosing a personal injury attorney is an important decision. Be a smart consumer. Don’t be fooled by these meritless awards and the lawyers who campaign for them. There may be a “Best Trial Lawyer” or a “Best Personal Injury Lawyer” in Las Vegas. But my guess is it isn’t those who say so on their billboards.