It seems like ratings and rankings by “experts,” numbers crunchers and opinion makers have taken us over. No longer the exclusive domain of movie and restaurant critics, we can now find ratings of just about everything: from the extension cord you bought on Amazon, to a public figure’s apology for real or perceived misdeeds, to lawyers, law firms and law schools.

Participating in rankings in the legal profession is no small matter. Thousands of hours are spent compiling data on everything from finances to diversity and pro bono figures, responding to questionnaires and lining up references. For law firms and lawyers alike, time spent on ratings surveys is time taken away from other more substantive activities, and consciously or unconsciously puts a focus on the rankings criteria and metrics in lieu of the organization’s own standards and goals.