Top 100 and Top 40 Under 40 are not and have never been a reference to the top 100 or top 40 under 40 lawyers nationally.  Membership is broken down into states and, depending on the number of lawyers in a state, regions of states, to give a good representation of the top civil plaintiff and criminal defense lawyers available locally. This serves the dual purposes of recognizing superior lawyers locally for their benefit and for the benefit of local populations in need of their services. 

Selection is based on an objective and uniformly applied process, which includes third-party research and, at times, peer nomination. Membership is extended only to a select few of the most qualified attorneys from each state or region who demonstrate superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature, and public profile measured by objective and uniformly applied standards in compliance with state bar and model rules.  

Prospective members of The NTL are carefully screened prior to receiving an invitation for membership. Top 100 members are generally required to have been in practice as civil plaintiff or criminal defense lawyers for a minimum of ten years.  All Top 40 Under 40 lawyers are required to be 40 years of age and under, and are generally required to have a minimum of 3 years in practice as civil plaintiff or criminal defense lawyers.  All members must of course be and remain in good standing with their respective state regulatory bodies. 

The National Trial Lawyers’ mission is to recognize superior trial lawyers and to promote excellence and foster diversity in the legal profession through advocacy training, networking, and education of trial lawyers. The NTL promotes and endorses legal educational programs, including the Trial Lawyers Summit, which has occurred annually since 2011. The goal is to enable members to draw upon the association's strong training, educational, and networking resources, so they may have benefits that were either unavailable or difficult to find on their own.

Because the membership includes both civil plaintiff and criminal defense attorneys, members have valuable opportunities to gain ideas, referrals, and strategies from the premier lawyers who make up The NTL membership. 

NTL established the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame which resides at Temple Law School.  Each year, the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame recognizes and honors remarkable lawyers, both past and present, who have left an indelible mark on the American legal tradition through a lifetime of service to the American public, the Constitution, and the American trial bar. 

Other events presented or affiliated with The National Trial Lawyers include The Business of Law, Mass Torts Made Perfect (MTMP), and Lanier Trial Academy Master Class. 

The National Trial Lawyers is recognized as a bona fide professional organization under The Florida Bar’s attorney advertising rules. The Florida Bar has expressly identified The National Trial Lawyers as a legitimate organization that attorneys may reference in advertising.

For additional guidance, see The Florida Bar’s Advertising Update.