Recognizing these hurdles, Chambers has introduced a new opportunity tailored specifically for SME-focused firms – the SME-focused Firms section. 

This innovative section offers a streamlined submission process that focuses more on a firm’s client base rather than individual work highlights. Notably, Chambers is not requiring client referees for this category this year.

This category is designed to provide a platform for firms that may not have the same resources as larger competitors but have a roster of satisfied clients whom they support on a variety of issues, including corporate matters, disputes, financing, restructuring, and tax.

Unlike traditional submissions, which typically require 20 unique work highlights, the SME-focused Firms section requests firms to describe their relationships with ten key clients they regularly work with. This approach aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the firm’s practice while reducing the burden of compiling extensive documentation.

Open to firms across the UK, including Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, it is nonetheless important to note that firms with three or more department rankings in Chambers UK are not eligible for this category.

If your firm fits the criteria and would like to apply, submissions are open until April 17th. 

For more information and access to the submission template, please visit: https://chambers.com/topics/showcasing-smaller-law-firms-across-the-uk

The post Introducing Chambers UK’s New Opportunity for SME-focused Law Firms appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

From the Lawyers’ Perspective: Lawyers approach directory submissions with a desire to showcase their prowess comprehensively. This often involves delving into complex case specifics and legal nuances, utilizing elaborate legal terminology to underscore their accomplishments. The aim is to present a detailed and comprehensive picture of their expertise.

The Researchers’ Viewpoint: On the other side of the spectrum, researchers tasked with evaluating these submissions seek clarity, impact, and contextual narratives. They prioritize concise, results-oriented descriptions that effectively communicate key achievements, highlight the significance of cases, and emphasize the value delivered to clients. Researchers look for information that is not only informative but also digestible and to the point.

Bridging the Gap: The challenge lies in finding a middle ground that satisfies both parties. To create impactful submissions, lawyers should focus on emphasizing outcomes, client impact, and succinct case studies. This involves striking a delicate balance between providing essential details and presenting content in a reader-friendly manner that resonates with researchers.

Know Your Audience: It’s crucial for lawyers to keep in mind that researchers handle a substantial volume of submissions during each cycle. Therefore, clarity and brevity significantly aid their review process. Crafting submissions that are clear, concise, and directly relevant to the criteria set by the directories not only expedites the review process but also bolsters the chances of being recognized.

In conclusion, aligning lawyers’ aspirations with researchers’ needs in legal directory submissions involves understanding the importance of clear communication and the significance of presenting information in a format that is both informative and easily digestible. By recognizing and addressing these needs, legal professionals can enhance the effectiveness of their submissions and maximize their visibility within the legal community.

The post Legal Directory Submissions: What Lawyers Want vs. What Researchers Need appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

• Written submissions are vital. It is the main source of information about the team and its work, providing context by telling the researcher exactly what the firm is doing. This can help to make client and peer feedback much more meaningful.
  
• In the “About Us” section (often at the beginning of the document), you must introduce the researcher to the firm and its strengths with the use of hard facts and statistics. Do not use this box to express views on the previous rankings – that will come later on!
  
• The matters you put forward make up the bulk of the submission. What is complex will depend mostly on context and the broader market will have an opinion on this too. My advice here is to think about cross-border elements, innovative structures, new legislation, impressive deal values, etc.
  
• Mastering the matter descriptions is crucial. Aim to break them up into two main sections: the first should explain who the client is and what you are doing for them, while the second dives into the uniqueness and complexity of the case (i.e. what sets it apart from routine work).
  
• Do not, however, get too carried away with the descriptions. Make sure the matters are not too long – aim to strike the perfect balance between detail and compactness. And avoid using marketing speech!
  
• There is no need for more than 20 matters – too much can serve to create a less focused submission. You should be including up-to-date matters that encompass a wide range of sectors, where possible.
  
• Aim to provide matters led by various individuals – but be selective here: those you wish to have added/promoted in the rankings should be leading a good chunk of the matters put forward. I’d also recommended mentioning desired promotees/additions in the shop window – it’s the first section researchers will read and thus will be sowed into their minds as they read on.
   
• The size of the team is important, of course, but do not be tempted to drive up the numbers for the sake of filling in boxes – the numbers put forward should be reflected in the matters.

The post Unlocking Success: Tips from a Former Legal 500 Researcher appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

The post LEGAL 500 EMEA 2024 – All you need to know in a nutshell appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

Over 1 billion people from across the globe watched a dramatic final that saw Argentina pick up the FIFA World Cup trophy for the first time since 1986. As the memes and plaudits go viral, there are poignant and valuable management and business lessons to be taken away from a World Cup that saw underdogs Morocco progress to the semi-finals, gave Saudi Arabia the shock victory over the eventual champions in the first group match, and highlighted the humility and values of some of the world’s most decorated stars. 

(1) Law firms that we work with often take pride in showcasing their strength in numbers, where the key lesson is the importance of teamwork. No successful firm can make it to the very top of the game as a one-man/woman show. The synergy of individuals transparently working together for a common cause is paramount to organic growth and meeting goals. Strong and clear internal communication and sharing of data and content is as key as it is for soccer teams. Messi instinctively knows where his teammates are because they share that information. 

(2) A continually evolving strategy, the ability to learn from mistakes, and being persistent is another key takeaway from the World Cup. Despite the surprising defeat in their opening game and throwing 2-0 leads away against Netherlands and France, Argentina embraced any necessary changes, knew their strengths, stuck to and adapted their strategy to do what they needed to do. 

(3) Finally, the impact of training and developing young talent is vital. Messi’s achievements did not happen yesterday. Over 20 years, he has developed the technical nous, scoring instinct, and creative flair to become one of the all-time greats. Empowering today’s talent by helping to develop, train, and nurture them professionally ultimately gives them and the team the greatest chance of success. 

The most valuable lesson of them all for law firms, and for business too.

The post What law firms can learn from the World Cup appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

Please find below questions and answers which will help you improve your upcoming Legal 500 submissions:

How important is the submission in the process? 

The submission is the most important part of the process and the main source of information for the Legal 500 researchers when they make their assessment of the firm, including ranking decisions. A strong submission is therefore an important factor in any upwards movement in the rankings. A strong submission is a clear one with highlights described clearly and concisely, avoid legal jargon. A strong submission is also one where the strengths and breadth of expertise of the practice are identified clearly and then substantiated by work highlights.

Legal 500 asks for 20 matters. We can do that, but do we get penalised for more than 20 matters?

Legal 500 asks that law firms stick to the number of work highlight limit. Firms that go beyond this are adding to the researchers’ workloads, and therefore likely annoying them somewhat, while also diluting the value of the highlights they provide. Listing more than 20 highlights simply makes it look like a firm listed all of the work it has done recently rather than a representative sample.

You are looking for matters from the last calendar year. Can we also show track record beyond that?

The track record of a firm is a key factor in Legal 500’s ranking decision-making process. They analyse past submissions to ascertain this, however firms are also free to briefly detail their track record in a given area as part of their most recent submission for this area. Please, as always, keep this information clear and concise, it should not take the form of additional detailed work highlights. One good way to showcase track record in an area is to list longstanding client relationships.

Obviously, firms do all they can to meet the deadlines, do you get penalised if we fail to meet the deadline?

With regards to submissions, extensions are generally possible and are given at the discretion of the researcher. If you think you will need one, let us know as soon as possible and we will do our best to accommodate this with Legal 500. 

With regards to referees, the deadline is a hard deadline and there are penalties for missing it. Referees submitted up to two weeks after the deadline will only be contacted if they are listed as a referee for just the one firm, this is because we do not want to contact the same referee twice in short succession and so if a firm submits a referee up to two weeks late and that referee was also listed by a firm that submitted on time, we will only contact the referee on behalf of the firm that submitted on time. 

Referees submitted more than two weeks after the deadline will generally not be contacted at all.

What is the most important thing to convey to Legal 500? 
Number one tip – remember, the Legal 500 is a qualitative analysis of a law firm’s work, it is therefore crucial to communicate clearly in the submissions the complexity and profile of the work done in each practice area.

Client Referees: Are they important? How many should we write down?

Client referees are an integral part of the research, though not mandatory. A firm will not be excluded from a ranking on the basis that referees have not been provided, according to The Legal 500, however feedback – from clients, introducers/referrers of work, and other third parties – is an important element of the information considered by the editorial researchers in assessing rankings and writing accompanying editorial. The average response rate, of referees, is 25 percent and each individual who wants to be considered for the individual tables needs 3-4 referee validations, thus is it advised to submit over 20 referees (there is no limit).

Client Referees: Who make the most useful client referees for you?

Those referees that actually take the time to answer our questions and clearly know the lawyers well, we do not look necessarily at who is answering but rather at what it is they are saying. A good overview spelling out REFEREE:

1.      Responsive – Are your clients responsive to phone calls and emails? Do they check spam? Will they find the time during the research period to respond? When they do reply, will they be descriptive about the team – in terms of its technical knowledge, as well as its service?

2.      Ensure – Ensure that you can use these clients as a referee. Don’t assume. Remember that they can get asked a lot, not only by yourselves but by other law firms and third parties. Also, they may have a company policy against providing references. Choose wisely.

3.      Fatigue – To avoid referee fatigue, cut and paste the referee names, companies, positions and practice areas from all the final referee spreadsheets into one master spreadsheet for IFLR, Chambers and Legal 500, and others. This will allow you to sort, filter and plan for ‘referee fatigue,’ in advance of any deadlines, and ensure that directories receive new referees.

4.      Establish – Establish which clients have worked with you over the last 12 to 18 months so they can genuinely comment on a recent experience. They are likely to be more descriptive and it will be easier to remember the wider team too, which is a key factor in firm rankings. Are the chosen clients involved in the deals listed in the submissions? Ideally so. Are the chosen clients involved for many other law firms in this area? Think carefully.

5.      Right – Using the right referee spreadsheet is easily overlooked. The directories can look similar but ensure that all the relevant information is added. To save time, you can leave the address columns out and focus on the most relevant contact information.

6.      Examine Everyone – Examine each and every referee to make sure that you don’t put more than two referees next to each company. It can annoy the client if there are too many colleagues being emailed or called. It can also highlight “shortcomings” to the researcher and also take up a valuable spot on the referee spreadsheet, which, ideally and practically, should contain no more than 20 referees, depending on the directory.

Do all clients get contacted?

Yes, Legal 500 has no limit on the amount of client referees that can be provided, although they have to be recent clients (about 18 months since the last interaction at most), and all are contacted. A good aim is NO more than 20. 

If more than one firm sends the same referee, will he or she be contacted once or more? if once, on behalf of which firm?

In cases where more than one firm has submitted, on time, the same referee, then that referee will be contacted once on behalf of all firms. They do not want to hassle your clients with multiple emails, therefore in the vast majority of cases referees will get a single email on behalf of all the firms that put this referee forward.

Will an interview help me climb in the rankings?

In short, no. While we aim to interview as many firms as possible, it is impossible for us to interview every submitting firm and it would therefore be unfair to have interviews affect ranking decisions. We therefore use interviews to complement a submission and emphasise as well as clarify the key points contained therein. They also allow us to establish market trends which we then independently verify.

The post Legal 500 Preparing for the 2023 EMEA Submissions appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

The new single portal system helps to optimize your submissions by enabling firms to create one account that can be used for all Euromoney legal research brands, including World Tax and IFLR 1000. All information from this cycle onwards will be saved onto the portal, streamlining future submissions to ensure an easier and faster process. Please find attached the link to the Euromoney portal.  

In the webinar last week, the Editor for World Tax, Jonathan Moore, elaborated upon expectations for firm submissions within the brand’s format. Like many directories, World Tax has a three-tier system that analyzes evidence provided by firms, peer feedback and client referees. 

Directories expect firms to provide evidence that displays innovation within their practice and jurisdiction. Moore explains that this is particularly difficult with tax law, as it is advisory in nature and quite confidential compared to other legal fields. His solution is to allude to the essence of the work and whether it will affect or challenge regulation. It is important to clearly highlight when and how certain dealings are innovative to ensure that the researcher does not overlook key information.   

With regards to client referees, the information is collected together and then assessed in a qualitative way. According to Moore, a common mistake many firms make is choosing big name referees, rather than well informed ones. While having a CEO as a referee may seem impressive, individuals who can only talk about one partner is of little help to the researcher. Therefore, it is important that firms choose referees that have a comprehensive understanding of their work and the market so that they can effectively explain what sets the firm apart.

Moore also touched upon the awards process for World Tax. Unlike many directories where the researcher determines the rankings, the World Tax researcher will hand off a long list to the Awards Ranking Team who will then make their decision. Any submission is automatically eligible for regional awards. 

To watch the webinar, please find the link here.

The post Tips for your World Tax Submission and Euromoney’s New Single Portal System appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

• have a good working knowledge of the team and its reputation and have worked with the department over the last 18 months;
• are available, willing and responsive with good enough English to speak for 5-10 minutes on the phone;
• know the team well enough to be able to describe its strengths, some of the lawyers on the matter. Don’t include the busiest CEOs – they will not have the time to speak to the directories. In-house counsel are better as client referees than CEOs because they are more likely to respond, know the law and know your team;
• Don’t limit referees to clients – consider other professionals such as accountants or surveyors. If you get referral work from law firms in other jurisdictions, you may include lawyers from those firms as referees – they are not competing with you and can provide valuable feedback;
• And have given specific permission to be used as referees. Ensure that all clients listed are willing to assist. Tell the clients that the process is confidential and the 5 questions can be answered in 5-10 minutes.

Speak to the client referees: 

•          to get their approval to include their names; 

•          to let them know that a directory researcher will be calling/emailing them so they don’t dismiss the contact as cold-calling/spam; 

•          and to let them know IFLR will contact them in April-May.

The post How to choose client referees for international submissions? appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

Legal 500 are asking law firms: What innovations has your practice” introduced to benefit your clients?” and includes diversity, while IFLR1000 have updated their formats as well to ask for information relating to diversity and inclusion (including but not limited to age, gender, disability, race and ethnicity, sexuality, and social class) within a given practice or the firm. 

The statistics are improving but still disappointing. For example, Legal 500 Germany saw women account for only 63 of 437 ranked lawyers, or 13% of Germany’s best lawyers. As for the UK Bar guide, only 26% of lawyers ranked in the 2021 guide are female, a 2% increase from last year, and only a 4% increase from 2016. Though it does indicate there is progress, it is lower than expected. 

Firstly, firms should take a thorough look at their values, behavior and culture. When the number of female lawyers holding senior positions increases, it is likely to increase gender equality in the firm and ultimately make the firm significantly more inclusive. Meanwhile, there are several actions firms can and should take to increase diversity and inclusion, such as making workdays more flexible, which will make childcare and other responsibilities easier for parents and allow them to pursue their career to their full potential; highlighting barriers to gender equality through raising awareness to unconscious bias and using its seniors to encourage gender diversity; and increasing the talent pool, partly through working with various schools to encourage women to pursue careers across all legal disciplines. 

Previously, firms may have shied away from indicating ethnic backgrounds or sexualities on forms, but diversity and inclusion are an important component today for the legal directories and demonstrate to the researcher that the firm is fully aware of the makeup of its own clients and how diversity breeds greater strength, depth and creativity within the firm itself. 

Article authored by Amit Ben Barouch, submissions coordinator at Nishlis Legal Marketing and edited by Lee Saunders, Chief Content Editor.

The post Diversity and the Legal Industry appeared first on Tier One Rankings.

Important to know what is new this year

There is a new submission portal through which law firms can submit their work evidence, as well as referees (which means there will be no need to type in referees manually anymore). 

Also, it is important to note that there is an option to fill in the matters in an excel sheet (joint excel with the referees but different tab). IFLR1000 is currently testing this option and for ease of reading, editing, and reviewing, we recommend the Word document template, as before. 

Diversity, equality and inclusion- due to the increasing importance to showcase diversity IFLR1000 changed the format to allow the inclusion of more initiatives (up to 3). Please note that this section dose not affect the firm or individual rankings.

The new submissions form, though similar to the previous one, has been expanded in order to include more data, including nominating up to three deals for an award using the relevant section in the deal example table. 

Fear not

There are no new practice areas being researched but familiarize yourself with the definitions and aim for no more than 20 complex, innovative, or precedential matters – that are unique in structure or unusual for the client or the market in which they operate.  

Lawyer Nominee Categories have expanded

They include Market leader (instead of key partners); Women Leader; Highly regarded (NEW); Expert consultant (NEW); Rising Star Partners for those who made partner after February 2019; Rising Star Associates for those associates who qualified less than 15 years ago; and Notable Practitioners for those mentioned in one or two deals in the submission. With bios, a link to the lawyer’s online profile is sufficient. 

In order to improve your law firms’ individual rankings, we suggest having each nominated individual on three matters and to allocate three client referees for each nominee.

Referees 

A new template has been introduced for ease of use. Choose wisely. Those who have been actively involved with the firm in the last two years, are available, know the wider team, and can speak enthusiastically about the team. 

To help you and your firm achieve the rankings you deserve, Lee Saunders, Chief Editor, suggests: Keep to the key facts – if your 85-year-old grandmother asked you what you had been working on and wanted to proudly tell her friends – what does she need to know? Keep your eye on what is complex or international and explain clearly and professionally. 

The post IFLR1000 Submission Deadline and Preparation appeared first on Tier One Rankings.