There can be times however when a researcher struggles to get in touch with a particular referee. Their emails may bounce or be caught in spam filters for example, or their contact details may not be updated- sometimes an email can just be missed by that referee. To help ensure that your firm is getting as much feedback as possible, this is what we recommend if you experience any issues:

• When research begins, notify all of your referees to expect emails from Chambers. (The research schedule will note when it begins and can be found here: https://chambers.com/about-us/research-schedule/ ) Chambers will always get in touch by email first, either with a survey or an invitation to a phone interview.
• If you have access to the Research Management Tool, you can check it regularly to update on progress. If there are particular problems with a certain referee, the RMT will flag them and offer advice on what to do.
• If a referee has been flagged as ‘Unsubscribed’ by the RMT, this means that referee has signified to Chambers that they do not want to receive any of their correspondence, in which case a researcher will not reach out to them. This can be remedied by forwarding written consent from the referee to the researcher. They can then get in touch with that referee as normal.
• If a referee notes that they have not received Chambers’ correspondence, we do not recommend just asking the researcher to send another email. It will likely be an ineffective approach, because any further emails could suffer from the same issue that the first one did (whatever that issue may be, eg spam filter, bouncing back or being accidentally missed.)
• Instead, we would recommend that around one week after research starts, follow up with referees encouraging them to respond to the Chambers researcher. Your email should note that if they have not heard from Chambers, they can reach out to the researcher directly providing their feedback about the firm and lawyers. You can also include the researcher’s email address in this reminder.
• To save time and back and forth, the referee can just put their thoughts into an email and send it straight to the researcher- alternatively, they can get in touch and ask the researcher for a questionnaire.
• Research typically closes around 4 weeks after it begins, so all feedback should be sent in by then (larger sections may have longer research windows.)

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Often left until the last minute, referees are crucial in legal directories submissions, sometimes weighing almost equally to work highlights in firm rankings and even more so for individual rankings. This holds especially true in esteemed guides such as Chambers and Partners. They’re not just contacts; they offer invaluable, first-hand insights into a firm’s or lawyer’s capabilities, validating the claims articulated in submissions.

Understanding the genuine potential of referees in submissions is a game-changer. Those who recognize this aspect’s significance are already reaping its rewards. Curious to learn how? Let me guide you, step by step:

Before Submission – Strategically Choosing Referees:

• Availability and Willingness: Referees must be accessible and responsive, willing to engage in a brief 5-10 minute call. Avoid the trap of selecting overly occupied CEOs. Opt instead for individuals with whom you share a strong rapport and who are amenable to a gentle reminder when the time comes.
• Comprehensive Insight: Prioritise clients with a deep understanding of the team’s reputation, collaborating within the last 18 months. Those capable of elaborating on multiple lawyers can save space within the 20-30 referee limit.
• Knowledge of Team Strengths: Seek referees capable of articulating the team’s specific strengths and the involvement of individual lawyers. In-house counsel, equipped with both responsiveness and legal expertise, often outshine busy CEOs in this aspect.
• Diverse Options: Consider engaging professionals beyond clients like accountants, surveyors, or colleagues. Referrals from law firms in different jurisdictions can offer unique insights without posing competition.

During Submission – The Nitty-Gritty Tips:

• Understand the “3 month rule”: Chambers won’t contact a referee reached within 3 months. If a referee is open for re-contact, you may request Chambers to reach out.
• Referee Information Filling: Fill in the column titled referring lawyer(s), it will help point the researcher in the right direction when talking to the referee.
• Firewall Tips: avoid government email addresses to prevent potential email blocking if possible.

Post-Submission – Contacting Referees:

• Safe Senders: Encourage referees to add ‘@chambers.com‘ to the safe senders list.
• Survey Navigation: Ensure referees understand the survey process, particularly for recommending lawyers not listed (“+add individual” button).
• Timing and Communication: Use the Chambers Referee Management Tool to track and remind clients if needed. For any issues, Chambers offers support.
• Seek assistance: Should you encounter any issues or come across an unexplained ‘error’ within the RMT, don’t hesitate to contact Chambers.

2025 UPDATE: My Top Recommendation for Avoiding Referee Issues

After experimenting with the system for two years and holding multiple meetings with the RMT team at Chambers, my number one suggestion is this: submit all referees as early as possible. If you’re dealing with several deadlines across multiple jurisdictions, aim to submit all referees before the first deadline—even though I know how challenging this can be when juggling numerous practice areas!

Here’s why it’s worth the effort:

1. Early Submission Mitigates Issues: Submitting referees early allows you to identify and resolve any problems well before the research process begins.
2. Streamlined Contact Across Practice Areas: By submitting future deadlines alongside the current one, you ensure referees are contacted for all relevant practice areas, potentially bypassing the three-month rule and improving response rates.

The key takeaway is simple: early submission gives you a significant advantage.

Effectively engaging referees, chosen strategically, significantly fortifies the credibility and authenticity of legal directory rankings. They stand as crucial assets within the submission process.

The post Let’s talk about referees appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

But fear not, legal eagles! Even in the hallowed halls of justice, we are at hand to show you how a well-crafted content strategy can work wonders in attracting and engaging clients.

When it comes to content strategy, the legal profession demands a solid foundation. How best to do this? Begin by identifying your firm’s unique voice, embrace it, and let it permeate your content like a well-tailored judge’s robe. This helps differentiate the law firm from competitors by highlighting its unique strengths, areas of specialisation, and innovative approaches. Just ensure it is echoed across the firm.

Legal jargon can be baffling to a non-legally trained client, so it is important to create content that educates and enlightens your audience. Write insightful blog posts, engaging videos, or even a legal podcast where you shed light on complex legal concepts, in simple terms. Remember, legal knowledge doesn’t have to be dry. By producing thought-provoking and insightful content you can establish the firm as a thought leader, attract media attention and create opportunities for collaboration.

Also, who doesn’t love a good story? While respecting client confidentiality, share captivating anecdotes from the courtroom, showcase your firm’s victories, highlighting the legal skill that turned a case around in your favour.

Questions everywhere! As a legal professional, you encounter countless FAQs from clients. Why not turn these into a creative content goldmine? Draft a series of frequently asked questions and answer them in an engaging and informative manner. Always a winner, especially when SEO is incorporated and draws new audiences to your pages. Tackling common legal concerns and sharing clear explanations, will aid in educating clients and potential clients about their rights, legal processes, and make them more trusting.

We know that complex legal processes can sometimes resemble a maze, with clients wandering aimlessly. Remember that people find information that is shared on a visual a lot easier to understand. Break down convoluted legal procedures into visually appealing infographics that guide clients and can speak volumes, because less is more.

And lastly, embrace the power of social media to amplify your legal voice. Engage with your audience on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, or even TikTok. Share legal insights, debunk common myths, or even indulge in a friendly legal banter with your peers.

Putting together a content strategy for your firm, may seem like an uphill battle, but with the right mix of professionalism, wit, and creativity, you can turn it into a resounding success. Educate, entertain, and engage your audience through informative and captivating content, bringing a breath of fresh air to your legal world.

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Let’s be candid here for a moment: A potentially imminent recession (you heard it here first), the cost-of-living crisis coupled with a decline in consumer spending and a worryingly mounting inflation, makes law firms think twice about where to invest their money when promoting their skills and marketing services. 

So, before you make those cuts in the marketing budget, know this: Social Media marketing will endure; therefore, the name of the game is you must adapt to last. Here are the top three social media trends you will see more of over the next 12 months and some pointers on how to make the most of them.

1. Collaboration with market influencers will become as important as industry communities 

2023 will see an increase in law firms and businesses working with influencers but also building on their community industry groups 

Pointers: Find an influencer by LinkedIn endorsements, follower calibre & numbers and by monitoring their industry relevant posts and conversations. Ask: Can we produce content in collaboration? If yes, explore further until you find the correct fit for your law firm. Also: How do I create a community group that will debate the latest industry trends to attract interest? 

2. Social media direct messaging (DM) and chats are now the top method of engagement 

Direct messaging via social media and chat groups will grow further and is seen as an acceptable way to reach out to stakeholders. 

Pointers: If your team members are new or not active on social media, provide workshops for them to teach them how to engage their audience through social media platforms. Ask: How can I engage and connect with relevant audiences on social media to help me stay informed about trends in my industry? 

3. Pick personal over bulk email marketing  

No, email marketing is not dead. But if you want to connect with your clients on a more personable level, use social media platforms to humanize the tone of your content.  

Pointers: Nobody wants to see a self-promotional message, but most will appreciate informative industry trends and developments (that also show off your expertise.)  

Ask: Is the language I use natural and transparent? Does my content tell a story that evokes emotions and is relatable? Do you appreciate and thank your team? 

If you have any questions about any of the above, get in touch via my DM. (See what I did there?) 

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But just as in medicine, where doctors must learn about “bedside manner,” lawyers must not lose sight of their own empathy, particularly leaders and department heads. Empathy has always been a critical skill for leaders, but it is taking on a new level of meaning and priority, in a changed workplace and with a global pandemic set to become an integrated part of our lives and futures. 

A 2019 Workplace Empathy Study showed that 90% of employees believe that empathy is important in the workplace, and 80% would leave an employer who they don’t believe is empathetic, and since the pandemic, this is likely to have only solidified.

Lawyers have often been trained to “poke holes” in someone else’s position as opposed to attempting to relate to it. To win, to close the deal, to be hyper-focused on their side’s results, sometimes at the expense of connecting and empathizing with others.

Far from a soft approach, an empathetic approach can drive business results, loyalty, and morale. We know demonstrating empathy is positive for people in social situations, but research underlines its importance for everything from morale, retention and results.  

Leading with Empathy and its impact on Morale

Empathy is a central component of emotional intelligence and effective leadership. Leaders can demonstrate empathy in two ways.

First, they can consider someone else’s thoughts through cognitive empathy (“If I were in his/her position, what would I be thinking right now?”).

Leaders can also focus on a person’s feelings using emotional empathy (“Being in his/her position would make me feel ___”). 

But leaders will be most successful not just when they personally consider others, but when they express their concerns and inquire about challenges directly, and then listen to employees’ responses. 

Leaders don’t have to be experts in mental health in order to demonstrate they care and are paying attention to their teams but it’s enough to check in, ask questions and take cues from the employee about how much they want to share.

Pay attention, ask thoughtful and better questions, listen deeply and practice.

The understood workforce is likely to take that appreciation and understanding into all of their relationships and these personal and professional connections build a deeper employee engagement and loyalty, as well as improved performance, productivity, sense of belonging and client service.

Incidentally, empathy is among these so-called “soft skills” that are frequently investigated by the legal directories during their research and interviews with clients, and as important for the rankings as they are for clients making decisions on which “leading” firm to use.

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There always seems to be the same questions that come up at the beginning of every submission process: “Haven’t we submitted something recently?”, “Haven’t we submitted to this directory already?” and my personal favourite, “We do not have time to write about what we do because we are busy doing what we do – and being the best at it.” I can relate, really.

But how will everyone know you’re ‘the best’ if you don’t spread the word? The progress of your firm, the biggest deals of the year, the innovations and complexity of the merger that required the unique expertise your team possesses; all of these accomplishments will simply become a footnote of little importance if you don’t take the time to plan, prioritize, and execute your strategy over other, less important tasks. Admit it: you haven’t been doing this (I know you haven’t).

This is basic stuff, but crucial nonetheless; if it’s important for us to be included in the ranking we should cooperate and invest the necessary time in reading the submission, providing an update on the progress of cases, and scheduling strategy meetings with the legal directory submissions team on time (not a week before the submissions deadline). Let me repeat myself: these are the basics.

If we can do these simple things, it will help us to work in an orderly, strategic and efficient way and produce a good submission – one that we could even submit on time!

We already know you’re the best at what you do.

Now let us help you show it!

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