ABSTRACT
Lawyers need to identify the criteria considered important to consumers in the selection process. But more importantly, they must understand that it is “cues” that are used by consumers to assess those criteria. In order to better manage and influence the consumer’s evaluations and perceptions of their service, lawyers must address the cue usage question. Too often, marketers identify choice criteria only and fail to discover what cues are used to assess such criteria. It is these cues that determine perception of the service and thus ultimately influence the choice of a lawyer. This study reports on the choice criteria important to the consumer in selecting a lawyer and the cues used to assess those criteria. The most important criteria in lawyer selection were competence, courtesy and credibility while personal referral, personality of lawyer, reception received and physical appearance of building/office were cues relied on most by respondents in assessing lawyers and their ability to meet the criteria considered important by the consumer.
