Primerus is an international network of top-rated, independent, law firms that have earned the right to display the Primerus seal of quality. Candidates for membership must have the maximum AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the peer review rating source that lawyers use to find other lawyers. Further, a law firm must submit to a rigorous evaluation which includes candid assessments from judges, fellow attorneys, current and former clients, bar associations, and malpractice insurance carriers. Firms must also attest to their commitment to the exacting standards of the Six Pillars of Primerus Quality: Integrity, Excellent Work Product, Reasonable Fees, Continuing Legal Education, Civility, and Community Service. And it doesn't end there. Primerus firms are audited annually to ensure that they continue to be the "best of the best," year after year.

What is the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA)?

The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to bettering the quality of trial advocacy in our nation's courtrooms and assisting the consumer of legal services in finding experienced and highly qualified trial lawyers. NBTA is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) to certify lawyers in the specialty areas of civil, criminal and family law trial advocacy.

The standards are as follows:

• Good Standing: Applicants must be a member of the bar in good standing. All applicants submit a comprehensive history of professional conduct and disclose any disciplinary action, past or pending.
• Concentration in the Specialty of Trial Advocacy: A minimum of 30% concentration in the field in which the attorney seeks certification for at least the three years immediately preceding application.
• Writing Sample: Submission of a writing sample in the form of a trial brief, prepared by the applicant, and submitted to a court of law within the three years immediately preceding application for certification.
• Continuing Legal Education: Participation in at least 45 hours of continuing legal education in the three years immediately preceding application. The educational seminars must pertain to trial advocacy in the field in which the attorney seeks certification.
• Judicial and Attorney Peer Review: Provision of three judges and three attorneys familiar with the applicant's courtroom abilities.
• Trials: Lead counsel in a number of trials to verdict or judgment and a sampling of other trial and courtroom skills that are documented in checklist form.
• Lead Counsel in Contested Matters: In addition to the trials, all applicants must document lead counsel in 40 contested matters involving the taking of evidence, such as hearings, motions or depositions.
• Examination: Applicants must successfully pass the NBTA examination which is an all essay, trial techniques, evidence and ethics exam lasting six hours. The exam is written and graded by trial lawyers and law professors. The exam process is overseen by the NBTA Examination Committee and Board of Examiners.

Once an attorney has met and documented the standards for NBTA certification Civil, Criminal, or Family Law, or Social Security Disability), he or she remains an active member for five years, subject to annual reporting which continues to meet the requirements of the Standards Committee. Once the five year period is completed, the member is required to apply for recertification.

What does it mean to be AV-Rated?
For over a century, lawyers have relied on the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory for authoritative information on the worldwide legal profession. Martindale's Peer Review Ratings play an integral role in this service to the legal community.

Buyers of legal services, as well as those making referrals, consider Peer Review Ratings invaluable when evaluating a lawyer. Whether choosing between two equally qualified candidates or looking for counsel in another jurisdiction, lawyers and consumers need to have confidence in the individual under consideration. Using Ratings, they can select counsel with superior ethics, as well as the desired level of professional experience.

Peer Review Ratings attest to a lawyer's legal ability and professional ethics, and reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and Judiciary.

The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings system, which evaluates lawyers and law firms in the United States and Canada, is based on the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary, including both those who are rated and those who are not.

Martindale-Hubbell representatives conduct personal interviews to discuss lawyers under review with other members of the Bar. A compilation of these opinions from various sources is necessary to form a consensus, and lawyers under review are sometimes asked to provide professional references to assist with the process.
Cardelli, Lanfear & Buikema is an AV-rated firm, the highest rating given by the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating system.