Smith Moore Leatherwood Featured in Martindale-Hubbell Inaugural Ranking as a Top Law Firm

RALEIGH, N.C. (November 14, 2011) - Smith Moore Leatherwood has been recognized on Martindale-Hubbell’s first ever national list of Top Ranked Law Firms. For the first time in its 140 years of existence, Martindale-Hubbell’s list of law firms will be included in Fortune Magazine’s annual Investor’s Guide in December. This guide provides highly-reputable business recommendations for 2012.

Martindale-Hubbell, a prestigious legal resource, directory and review organization, considered more than 250,000 firms in the selection process, but only 966 made the list. As part of the criteria, firms were chosen if at least one-third of its attorneys achieved an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating. This status represents the highest level of achievement possible in an attorney’s legal ability and professional ethics. Nearly 50% of the attorneys at Smith Moore Leatherwood attorneys have achieved this rating.

“Smith Moore Leatherwood is honored to receive this recognition, particularly because it is based largely off of the opinions of our peers,” said Rob Marcus, chairman of the firm’s management committee. “We take great pride in our dedication to a standard of excellence.”

Martindale-Hubbell has an extensive history of providing a reputable resource and directory for businesses. Today, it serves as a fundamental legal resource and marketing tool, offering both professionals and consumers the ability to access more than one million attorney and firm profiles online.

Smith Moore Leatherwood will be listed along with the 955 other Top Ranked Law Firms in Fortune Magazine’s 2012 Investor’s Guide - available Dec. 26, 2011.