Free Online Legal Research

The State Bar of California maintains a searchable online database of California attorneys. It is freely available to the public and can be searched by name or bar number, and an advanced search option allows searching by first or last name, location, or specialty. The information provided includes name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, date of admission to the Bar, undergraduate and law schools attended, membership status (current eligibility to practice law in California) and public record of discipline.

If you are researching an out-of-state attorney, use Google or another search engine to find the state's bar association and look for a link to their lawyer directory or attorney membership search. Keep in mind that some state bar associations limit access to their directory to members only.

Owned by LexisNexis, the Martindale-Hubbell directory "endeavors to include all U.S. and Canadian lawyers in the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Network and offers free basic listings." However, lawyers or their law firms must submit their information to Martindale-Hubbell. In any case, this site is easy to use and includes a Peer Review Rating System, which 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. The Advanced Search form limits results by location, area of practice, language, and law school attended.

This directory allows users to find a lawyer by legal issue, location, and name. The Advanced Options allow users to limit results by languages spoken. Also includes links to FindLaw's Guide to Hiring a Lawyer and Guide to the U.S. Legal System.

Avvo rates and profiles attorneys, and allows searching by name, city and state or zip code, and allows browsing by practice area. Profiles contain experience, areas of practice, disciplinary history, and ratings from clients. Profile data comes from many sources, including state courts and bar associations, lawyer websites, and information provided by lawyers. Ratings reflect Avvo's effort to evaluate a lawyer's background using a mathematical model that considers the information gathered about a lawyer.

"Identifies and ranks the world's best lawyers and law firms. Each guide offers in-depth analysis of the legal market within a specific region (UK, Europe, Asia, USA, Latin America)." Also includes rankings (based on client and lawyer interviews) and editorial comments.