Martindale, a Nolo Company

Martindale-Hubbell is now a Nolo [Press] company, or so it appears.

Internet Brands acquired Nolo Press and Martindale-Hubbell and is now branding Martindale-Hubbell as Martindale, a Nolo Company. The companies appear to be combined per the below description, though Nolo, a primarily self help law site is still up.

Martindale Nolo offers a full suite of online marketing solutions for law firms of all sizes. Our goal is to help law firms expand their practices through online channels. Our services include end-to-end website management, real-time lead generation and exposure through our online directory.

Martindale Nolo combines the strengths of Martindale-Hubbell’s attorney-facing resources and Nolo’s consumer-focused network of sites. This creates a powerful platform for attorneys to market their practices online. Martindale Nolo is uniquely qualified to offer online services for law firms: we understand the needs of attorneys focused on growing their practices and the practical needs of consumers focused on finding the best attorneys.

I cannot comment on the services being offered Martindale Nolo. They may be great. They may be less than great. I just find the situation pretty amazing.

Lawyers for over one hundred years knew Martindale-Hubbell as the preeminent legal directory for finding good lawyers and law firms, state and international legal summaries, and ratings of lawyers.

In approximately 15 years with the advancing Internet the publication and its website, as lawyers knew it, has basically disappeared. As one business person told me earlier this year that ought to be studied at Harvard Business School.

Add to the craziness that Nolo, formerly known as Nolo Press, is a 40 year old publisher in Berkeley, California, that produces do-it-yourself legal books and software that reduce the need for people to hire lawyers.

When I was meeting with an executive at Reed Elsevier, then owner of Martindale-Hubbell, 14 years ago he said that I may be trying to do a deal with Nolo Press, which I was, but he wouldn’t be caught dead getting Martindale in a deal with Nolo – the two were totally in conflict. Nolo was beneath Martindale and good lawyers in his mind.

Martindale-Hubbell still has such a strong brand name with lawyers that I think anyone could just send out a Martindale bill to lawyers and they would pay it. Heck I believe there are lawyers buying Martindale plaques, books, and CD’s still.

I wonder if these lawyers know Martindale is now a Nolo [Press] Company.

H/t Stephen Fairley