National Lawyers Association

https://www.nla.org/ 

American Association for Justice

https://www.justice.org/ 

Super Lawyers

https://www.superlawyers.com/ 

Forbes Agency Council

https://forbesagencycouncil.com/ 

Best Lawyers

https://www.bestlawyers.com/ 

Description

A voluntary association of lawyers in the United States.

A nonprofit advocacy and lobbying organization for plaintiff's lawyers in the United States.

A rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

An invitation-only organization for owners and executives of public relations, media strategy, creative, and advertising agencies.

The oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.

Strengths

Navigation and Information Architecture (IA)

• Clear indicators of where you are, what's here and where you can go
• Navigation is easy to learn
• Consistent navigation
• The navigation system is broad and shallow

• There is a convenient and obvious way to move between related pages and sections and it is easy to return to the home page.
• Category labels accurately describe the information in the category.

• Clear indicators of what's here and where you can go
• Navigation is easy to learn
• Consistent navigation

• Clear indicators of where you are, what's here and where you can go
• Navigation is easy to learn
• Clear button and link labelings

• There is a convenient and obvious way to move between related pages and sections and it is easy to return to the home page.
• Category labels accurately describe the information in the category.

Page Layout and

Visual Design

• Colors work well together and complicated backgrounds are avoided.
• Colour is used to structure and group items on the page.
• Good balance between information density and use of white space.

• The functionality of buttons and controls is obvious from their labels or from their design.
• The site has a consistent, clearly recognizable look and feel that will engage users.
• Colour is used to structure and group items on the page.

• The site has a consistent, clearly recognizable look and feel that will engage users.
• Clear visual "starting point" to every page.
• The layout helps focus attention on what to do next.

• Layout helps focus attention on what to do next.
• Good balance between information density and use of white space.
• Colors work well together and complicated backgrounds are avoided.

• The layout helps focus attention on what to do next.
• Fonts are used consistently.
• Each page on the site shares a consistent layout.
• There is a good balance between information density and use of white space.
• The site is pleasant to look at.

Search usability

• The search interface is located where users will expect to find it (top right of page).
• The search box is long enough to handle common query lengths.

• The search interface is located where users will expect to find it (top right of page).

• Search is forefront
• The search engine handles empty queries gracefully.
• The search box is long enough to handle common query lengths.
• The site supports people who want to browse and people who want to search.

• N/A

• Search results are clear, useful and ranked by relevance.
• The site supports people who want to browse and people who want to search.
  

Forms & Data Entry

• Labels are close to the data entry fields
• Ordered logically
• Related fields are grouped

• Clear labeling and buttons
• The first field is focused

• Labels are close to the data entry fields

• N/A

• Fields in data entry screens contain default values when appropriate and show the structure of the data and the field length.
• Pull-down menus, radio buttons, and checkboxes are used in preference to text entry fields on forms (i.e. text entry fields are not overused).

Weaknesses

Navigation and Information Architecture (IA)

• N/A

• Header nav doesn’t indicate the location
• Navigation can be hard to learn
• The navigation system has many menu levels

• N/A

• N/A

• Lack in navigational feedback (showing where you are in the site)
• Navigation labels are somewhat confusing. Don’t contain “trigger words” that users will look for to achieve their goal

Page Layout and

Visual Design

• The functionality of carousel buttons is not obvious from their labels or from their design.

• Logo gets lost against header background color

• Uppercase text is difficult to read
• Hierarchy battle between color and fonts
• Color usage is overpowering at times and lacks balance

• Footer text hard to read

• Things that are clickable are not obviously pressable.

Search usability

• Searches cover the entire website, not a portion of it.

• The search box is not long enough to handle various query lengths.
• Directory lags and breaks
• Directory form layout is confusing

• N/A

• N/A

• Unable to search site content

Forms & Data Entry

• Error message not noticeable at a glance
• Style and placement is inconsistent

• Directory
• Too many input fields
• Multi-column layouts
• Forms
• Lack of distinction between button colors (“Clear Search” should display different)

• Error messages disappear
• Don’t specify errors inline
• Some inconsistent field label layout

• N/A

Mobile friendly

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Key Features

• Live Chat
• Donate to the NLA

• Membership video
• Public directory and a Members-only directory
• Advertisement in the directory
• Pay for prominent listing in the directory

• Predictive search and Google
• Featured Legal Videos with transcript
• Engaging Profile page

• Contact form
• Video
• Map

• Ask Super Lawyers

• Vetted attorneys answer state-specific questions about legal issues
• Illustrated explanation of the selection process
• Answers Profile - lawyers can showcase their expertise in their portfolio

• Opportunities to increase visibility
• Articles published by members

• Clear view of benefits
• Member testimonials

• Helpful featured articles (link)
• Broad search (Lawyers, Firms, Publications, Legal Insights, etc.)