LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell

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Volumes of the 2004 edition of Martindale-Hubbell

The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory is one of the oldest and best-known catalogues of lawyers in the United States.

Its history begins with two separate publications, the Martindale Directory and Hubbell's Legal Directory. The Martindale Directory was first published in 1868 by James B. Martindale, a lawyer and businessman. Its purpose was "to furnish to lawyers, bankers, wholesale merchants, manufacturers, real estate agents, and all others…the address of one reliable law firm, one reliable bank, and one reliable real estate office in every city in the United States..."

By the 1896 edition, the Directory included the basic information that still appears in the standard Practice Profile listings, as well as ratings and a section on foreign lawyers and firms.

In 1930 the Martindale Company purchased the publishing rights to Hubbell's Legal Directory. This Directory consisted of three parts: a digest of the collected laws of each state; court calendars; and a selective list of lawyers and firms.

This first edition of the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory — combining the features of both preceding publications — was published in 1931 as a two-volume set. Volume I consisted of the lawyer listings and Volume II the Law Digest. The directory has been updated annually ever since.

In the directory, firms and individual lawyers are rated for legal expertise and ethical conduct, the highest rating being "AV".^[1]

Martindale-Hubbell became part of Reed Publishing (USA) in 1990.