Co-Counsel Selected Using Martindale-Hubbell

New Study Finds That 9 of 10 Attorneys Consult LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell® When Selecting Counsel

New Providence, NJ - Press Release - February 24, 2004 - A comprehensive nationwide survey of more than 2,500 U.S. lawyers in both corporate and private practice has found that 88% of law firm partners and 86% of corporate counsel use the LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory when they are conducting research for the selection of a lawyer or law firm.

The study quantified which resources are used during all phases of the referral process and documented the manner in which those resources are used. The study's most conclusive finding was that Martindale-Hubbell plays a critical role as a primary resource during firm-to-firm business referrals and the selection of outside counsel by corporate law departments even when it is not cited as a resource. The study provides evidence that Martindale-Hubbell plays a valuable role in delivering a professional audience of buyers of legal services to law firms.

The study was conducted from July to September 2003 by the Brand Research Company, an independent research firm that specializes in the legal services marketplace. There were 1,607 respondents from U.S. law firms (75% managing partners or partners, 6% associates, 14% solo practitioners and 6% other) and 978 respondents from corporate law departments (19% chief legal officers, 35% senior counsel, 37% general counsel or staff lawyers), for a total of 2,585 survey responses.

Media Contacts: Daryn Teague for Teague Communications (661) 297-5292 dteague@teaguecommunications.com

"This research found that the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is now most frequently used on the Web at martindale.com, is the number-one source of detailed information about lawyers and law firms for corporate counsel and law firm partners who wish to evaluate the credentials of other lawyers and then make a decision about which outside counsel they wish to retain," said Mark Greene, principal of Brand Research. "Specifically, 84% of corporate law department respondents said that Martindale-Hubbell was either important or very important when used for this purpose."

According to Greene, the study found that Martindale-Hubbell is more than twice as important in the stages of final selection of outside counsel as law firm Web sites.

Some of the other notable findings in the Brand Research survey include the following:

• Three out of four legal professionals would be either unlikely or not sure whether they would hire a lawyer or law firm that is not included in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory;
• The frequency with which legal professionals consult Martindale-Hubbell on the Web has tripled since the 2000 survey, with 53% of law firms (vs. 18% in 2000) and 41% of corporate counsel (vs. 18% in 2000) using martindale.com daily or weekly; and
• Other than personal referrals, Martindale-Hubbell is considered the most important resource for providing detailed information to purchasers of legal services, ranking first in a list of 14 marketing and business development vehicles.

"This study by a respected research company in the legal market provides independent validation that the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory is a pre-eminent resource used by lawyers in private and corporate practice to identify, profile, evaluate and select counsel," said Paul Gazzolo, chief operating officer of New Providence, N.J.-based LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell.

"The scope of the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Network continues to expand to encompass an integrated suite of services that facilitate the connection of buyers and sellers of legal services. Our client development tools now include traditional channels such as martindale.com, face-to-face venues that facilitate exposure and interaction between law firms and corporate counsel, and publishing ventures that provide firms with the opportunity of showcasing their expertise to clients and potential clients," said Gazzolo.

To obtain an electronic copy of the highlights of the 2003 survey, please send an email to Daryn Teague, public relations consultant, at dteague@teaguecommunications.com.

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About Martindale-Hubbell
Martindale-Hubbell is the leading client development company for the legal profession and is the number-one resource for information about lawyers and law firms worldwide, consulted daily by lawyers, business executives and consumers. With more than 4 million searches per month, this unrivaled network connects lawyers and law firms with their clients and potential clients, facilitates communication between members of the legal profession, and makes available a wide range of biographical information and professional credentials regarding attorneys in private, corporate and government practice. It is powered by a database of more than 1 million lawyers and law firms around the world.

Martindale-Hubbell is also the leading provider of Web sites for lawyers and has recently announced a number of new products and services to facilitate client development initiatives for lawyers and law firms. These client development vehicles include opportunities to publish articles on the Web and in respected industry newsletters, invitations to speak at highly regarded professional conferences, and new products designed to market law firm practice area and industry groups. Martindale-Hubbell is part of the LexisNexis Group, a member of the Reed Elsevier Group plc. For more information, visit www.martindale.com.

About LexisNexis
LexisNexis (www.lexisnexis.com) is a global leader in comprehensive and authoritative legal, news and business information and tailored applications. A member of Reed Elsevier Group plc [NYSE: ENL; NYSE: RUK] (www.reedelsevier.com), the company does business in 100 countries with 13,000 employees worldwide. In addition to its flagship Web-based research service, LexisNexis, the company includes some of the world's most respected legal publishers such as Martindale-Hubbell, Matthew Bender, Butterworths, Les Editions du Juris-Classeur, Abeledo-Perrot and Orac.