January 3, 2008 by Kevin O'Keefe

Martindale-Hubbell : Law firms continue to drop out of directory

Martindale-HubbellLaw marketing expert, Larry Bodine, posted yesterday morning that more law firms are dropping their listing in the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory, long viewed as the bible of lawyer directories.

Though law firms realize that some general counsel may still be using the Martindale-Hubbell directory during the law firm selection process, the cost benefit analysis doesn't stand up. More law firms are finding Martindale-Hubbell costs too much when comparing the benefits received from a listing.

Larry first references the informal survey of Philadelphia firms by Delaware Valley Law Firm Marketing Group showing that 'more firms are eliminating or scaling back their Martindale-Hubbell's directory listing.' According to the groups founder, Stacy West Clark, having to pay by the word or 'unit' is causing 'enormous pain' for law firms.

Though formulating a list of law firms who have exited Martindale-Hubbell has been elusive, here's who Larry has confirmed as leaving the directory.

Word across the Internet and behind closed doors at law firms is that we're going to reach a tipping point on law firms using Martindale-Hubbell. Law firms, by and large, have found a Martindale-Hubbell listing necessary because all the other law firms were listed. When all the other law firms are not listed in the directory, a Martindale-Hubbell listing will no longer be needed. The pendulum will have swung.

Amazing part in Martindale-Hubbell's slide is their total lack of an effective Internet presence to combat this discussion. Martindale-Hubbell's internal people and outside PR professionals have done little, if anything, to stem the tide of the discussion eroding their very core. Martindale needs to become more transparent and enter into a real discussion with their customer base and the influencers of those customers.

Microsoft was once viewed as the evil empire by the development community and many of their customers. A thousand plus blogs from Microsoft employees made the company's methods and goals much more transparent. In addition, such blogs generated a discussion between Microsoft developers and customers leading to improved products (in same cases) and viral discussion about new launches. Customers feeling part of Microsoft's development plans were much more likely to purchase and use the company's products.

Google had significant problems, and still does, with privacy issues. A few years ago the company did not have an effective Internet presence. When a story broke across on the net about Google's caching impacting users privacy, all Google could do was issue press releases and hold a press conference. Despite the efforts of Google's PR professionals, the story broke very poorly in the Wall Street Journal and other main stream media.

No coincidence that Google now has probably 75 blogs published by various individuals and development groups in the company. When a negative story breaks, those bloggers, with a readership in the thousands, can respond with blog posts about how an issue or problem arose and how Google is addressing it at that very minute. In addition, those bloggers help frame Internet discussion on new products Google's working on. All of that blogged information is consumed by amplifiers of Google's message - other bloggers and the media (trade & mass media). Effective PR? You bet.

LexisNexis can choose to have their Martindale-Hubbell brand trounced in blogs, listservs, news websites, and offline trade publications. They're doing a nice job of it using PR methods of days gone by with expensive PR agencies monitoring net discussion, framing PR responses for the company, and dabbling on the side with a few bloggers.

But if Martindale-Hubbell is serious about saving themselves they are going to need to wholeheartedly endorse online networking through blogs. The outcome would be both a gradual pick up of allies along the way as well as learning how to improve their services from their very customers - law firms and consultants already taking part in this online discussion.

I am not talking 75 blogs mind you, but how about starting with one or two from people in leadership positions at LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell? When they work, add a couple from IT development and business development folks. Will there be some work in figuring out how to use blogs? Sure. Likely to stumble once or twice? Yep. But the down side of inaction will be the loss of a long standing product that's generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues year after year.

And bottom line doesn't it make sense for a company that says '...our innovation drives your success' to show a little innovation in saving the Martindale-Hubbell lawyer directory. It's a legacy product that deserves saving with the right services, pricing, and positioning.

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john Lipsey - January 4, 2008 2:26 PM

Kevin:

The points you make in your posting are well taken. As part of the new leadership team at Martindale, you can bet that I am, as are all of the team, well aware of the current challenges that Martindale is facing. Your suggestions regarding the direction Martindale needs to take with respect to Internet presence, blogs, etc. are not only on point -- but they represent a subset of a new vision and product roadmap for Martindale-Hubbell that will be announced in short order.

I understand that this tease-of-a-response is small consolation for your readers who feel they have not seen enough progress in Martindale. I can only say right now that 2008 will mark a turning point for our business. When we launch, corporate counsel and consumers will be able to realize new levels of value utilizing Martindale, without parallel anywhere in the legal industry today. This will translate to tremendous benefit to law firm subscribers as Martindale re-emerges as the place on the Internet bringing together buyers and sellers of legal services.

I'm not talking about a PR-play here, but unprecendented, rock-solid innovation demanded by, designed for, and vetted by our corporate counsel and consumer stakeholders. Sorry I can't reveal more now. But stay tuned. The new Martindale may be long over due -- but it will be worth the wait.

John Lipsey
Vice President, Corporate Counsel Services
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell

Kevin - January 4, 2008 5:12 PM

John, I'm glad you said at that the end of your comment that you're 'not talking about a PR-play here.' I almost thought it was PR after reading each of the below lines in your comment.

  • New leadership team at Martindale.
  • New vision and product roadmap for Martindale-Hubbell that will be announced in short order.
  • Tease-of-a-response is small consolation for your readers who feel they have not seen enough progress.
  • 2008 will mark a turning point for our business.
  • Corporate counsel and consumers will be able to realize new levels of value utilizing Martindale.
  • Without parallel anywhere in the legal industry today.
  • Will translate to tremendous benefit to law firm subscribers.
  • Martindale re-emerges as the place on the Internet bringing together buyers and sellers of legal services.
  • Unprecedented.
  • Rock-solid innovation demanded by, designed for, and vetted by our corporate counsel and consumer.
  • I can't reveal more now.
  • But stay tuned.
  • Long over due -- but it will be worth the wait.
Barry Solomon - January 6, 2008 6:07 PM

Kevin,

Your analogy of our problems here at Martindale-Hubbell to Microsoft and Google are both apt and flattering. Clearly we have a lot of work to do with our product, but your point about the need for us to embrace online networking to get our story out makes a lot of sense.

I really like your suggestion of publishing our own blog on martindale.com to be more transparent and involve folks in leadership positions as well as some development and business development types. You've been blogging a lot longer than we have. Any tips you'd have for a novice like me, or should we just jump in?

--Barry

Barry Solomon
Vice President, Client Development
LexisNexis

Rob Patrick - February 5, 2008 10:08 AM

Kevin,

After reading your comments I thought your readers may be interested in visiting the Martindale-Hubbell blog at

The first blog entry appeared on January 15, 2008. Readers can address their concerns and questions directly to senior leadership as well as learn about new developments first hand. Registration is free and we hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,

Rob Patrick
LexisNexis
Client Development Solution Specialist
Philadelphia, PA

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