Sponsored listings, explained

A Sponsored label tells the reader that the firm pays a monthly marketing fee to appear in that location. It does not mean the site has evaluated the firm’s skill, endorsed it or verified its results. The label sits next to the firm’s name wherever the listing appears, on desktop and mobile alike.

Educational content on the site is never sponsored. Guides on medications, home delivery and injury basics are written to inform, and a firm’s subscription has no effect on what those guides say.

Clear labelling is good for injured workers, who are often in a vulnerable moment and should not mistake advertising for neutral advice. It is also good for firms, because a listing that is honestly presented carries more credibility than one that tries to look like editorial content.

Consumer protection principles generally require that paid placements be distinguishable from editorial content. Rather than leave that to interpretation, the site labels every paid attorney listing the same way, every time.

Within a ZIP code or state, listings are shown to readers whose location and topic match the firm’s territory and case categories. Where more than one firm is eligible, the site uses a published ordering approach that may consider category match, profile completeness and fair rotation so that no single firm permanently crowds out another on the same plan.

Ordering is not a ranking of quality. The site does not rate attorneys or claim that a listing near the top is better than one below it. Readers are encouraged to compare firms, ask questions and choose for themselves.

Lawyer advertising is regulated by each state. Common themes include truthful and non-misleading statements, restrictions on claims about results, rules about testimonials and specialization, and requirements to identify communications as advertising. Some states also require filing or retaining copies of ads.

Before you write your profile or subscribe, check your state bar’s advertising rules. You are responsible for the content of your profile, including any disclaimers your state requires. The site will add any required text you supply and will not alter your statements to make claims you have not made.

Stick to verifiable facts: where your offices are, which languages your team speaks, which categories of work injury you handle and how people can reach you. Avoid superlatives, guarantees and descriptions of past results unless your state’s rules clearly allow them with appropriate disclaimers.

If you describe your fee arrangement, make sure it matches your state’s rules for workers’ comp fees. Plain, accurate profiles tend to read as more trustworthy to injured workers anyway.