Martindale-Hubbell’s Highest Peer Review Recognition
P. Ryan Banafshe, founder and managing attorney of BANA LAW, PC, holds the AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating in its peer review system. He has earned it every year since 2019, and the 2026 rating marks his eighth consecutive year at this level.
What makes the rating meaningful is how it is earned. It is not bought, and it is not something a lawyer can apply for. It comes from confidential evaluations submitted by other attorneys and by members of the judiciary, the people who see a lawyer’s work and conduct up close. That independence is the whole point.
What the AV Preeminent® Rating Means for Our Clients
When you are choosing a personal injury lawyer, one of the hardest things to judge from the outside is what other lawyers and judges actually think of that attorney’s ability and ethics. The AV Preeminent rating answers exactly that question, and it answers it through people who have no marketing reason to be generous.
Verified by peers, not self-reported
The rating reflects the judgment of practicing attorneys and judges, not claims the firm makes about itself.
Ethics confirmed first
A lawyer’s ethical standards have to be confirmed by peers before the review even moves on to legal ability. Ethics is the gate, not an afterthought.
Held by a small share of attorneys
AV Preeminent is the top tier of the system and is held by roughly the top 10 percent of rated attorneys, which is part of why informed clients and referring lawyers treat it as a genuine signal.
How the AV Preeminent® Rating Is Earned
The rating comes out of a confidential peer review survey. Martindale-Hubbell contacts other attorneys and judges who know the lawyer’s work and asks them to evaluate it. The ethical-standards review comes first, and a lawyer must clear that threshold before anything else counts.
From there, reviewers rate the lawyer’s legal ability across five areas: legal knowledge, analytical capability, judgment, communication, and legal experience. The highest result, an A grade for legal ability paired with a Very High rating for ethics, is what produces an AV Preeminent rating. None of it can be purchased.
A Standard Sustained Since 2019
Earning the rating once is meaningful. Holding it for eight years running says something different. It reflects a level of work and conduct that other lawyers and judges have confirmed year after year, not a single good season.
“A recognition like this means the most because it comes from other lawyers and from a process you can’t buy your way into. Eight years of that from my peers reflects the standard the whole firm is held to, not just me.” — P. Ryan Banafshe, Founder and Managing Attorney, Bana Law, PC
Recognized Across Our California Personal Injury Practice
The rating reflects how Ryan and the firm approach serious injury work across the board, from truck accident cases and motorcycle crashes to wrongful death claims and catastrophic injuries. The firm represents injured Californians and their families across the full range of personal injury matters, and you can see the kinds of outcomes that work has produced on our case results page.
Frequently Asked Questions About the AV Preeminent® Rating
What is the AV Preeminent® rating?
The AV Preeminent rating is the highest rating in Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review system. It is awarded when a lawyer’s fellow attorneys and members of the judiciary rate that lawyer at the top tier for both legal ability and ethical standards. The AV stands for the highest grade in legal ability paired with the highest grade for ethics.
How does an attorney earn an AV Preeminent® rating?
Through a confidential peer review survey. Other practicing attorneys and judges first confirm the lawyer’s ethical standards, and a lawyer must clear that ethics threshold before the review goes further. Reviewers then rate legal ability across five areas: legal knowledge, analytical capability, judgment, communication, and legal experience. The rating comes entirely from those peer evaluations.
Can the AV Preeminent® rating be purchased?
No. The rating cannot be bought, applied for, or influenced by payment. It is based solely on confidential evaluations submitted by other lawyers and judges. That independence is what separates it from pay-to-list directories and purchased awards.
How long has P. Ryan Banafshe held the AV Preeminent® rating?
Every year since 2019. The 2026 rating marks his eighth consecutive year at this level.
Does an AV Preeminent® rating guarantee the outcome of a case?
No. The rating reflects how peers and judges assess a lawyer’s ability and ethics. It is not a prediction or promise about any individual case. Every case turns on its own facts, evidence, and law, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Read the Announcement
Read the full announcement of the 2026 AV Preeminent rating in our official press release.
Contact an AV Preeminent® Rated California Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured, you deserve a lawyer whose ability and ethics have been independently confirmed by other attorneys and judges. We offer free, confidential consultations, and there are no fees unless we win.
Call 800-789-8840 or request a free consultation online.
