We are pleased to announce that Carmina Tessitore has been selected to the American Society of Legal Advocates (ASLA) Top 40 Under 40 list of family lawyers in the State of Connecticut for 2016. This is the third consecutive year that Carmina has been honored with this designation.
“Founded in 2012, ASLA is an invitation only legal organization comprised of the nation’s most skilled lawyers. It was founded with one central purpose – to identify and help promote only the most outstanding legal talent throughout the country. With this mission, ASLA invites lawyers who combine stellar legal credentials with proven commitment to community engagement, leadership, and the highest professional standards. As described on the ASLA website, an attorney’s selection is the culmination of a process in which ASLA lawyers independently research information on tens of thousands of lawyers and, in filling each Top 100 and Top 40 (under age 40) category, ultimately select less than 1.5% of lawyers nationally” (Note: excerpt taken from award letter).
For more information, please review ASLA’s selection process procedures below.
Selection Process
Overview
ASLA’s exclusive membership comprises less than 1.5% of all licensed lawyers nationwide. ASLA is both highly selective in extending invitations and in determining which specialties to include for a given state. Because many specialties typically include listings for Top 100 Lawyers and Top 40 Lawyers Under 40, in order to remain selective we ensure that each specialty in a state has a sufficient number of practicing lawyers to merit inclusion. Those states with relatively low populations of practicing lawyers often will support only one or two specialties. ASLA monitors practice trends from year to year prior to extending invitations in each state.
Process
ASLA’s selection process is conducted manually by lawyers. Prospective members initially are evaluated based on publicly-available information, although member nominations also are accepted from current members, other lawyers, and past clients. Self-nominations and nominations from public relations firms or advertising agencies are not accepted.
The selection process dating back to 2012 consists of a rigorous, manual review:
ASLA’s lawyers comprehensively review available information for each candidate, including a review of firm websites, client assessments, and publicly-available filings, which may include: verdicts, settlement information, and information regarding transactions. Each candidate is assessed based on such criteria as educational accomplishments, involvement and leadership in bar associations and professional organizations, activities within their community, and demonstrated legal achievement. In the case of younger lawyers, ASLA also evaluates indications of developing success, both in a candidate’s day-to-day practice and in serving the profession.
Each area of assessment is considered, and each candidate is assessed on his or her own merits. Just as the student body of an elite university is comprised of individuals with many different backgrounds and strengths, ASLA likewise strives to invite a range of members who have stellar legal credentials as a baseline, but also a range of interests and activities.
The participation of invited candidates is completely voluntary, and only those individuals who accept membership are included on our site, which leads to less than the number of invited candidates appearing within a category. Those who choose to participate receive all benefits of membership, however we recognize that some lawyers may choose not to participate and may network and market themselves through other efforts. With regards to all marketing efforts, all lawyers must ensure continued compliance with their respective state bars.