Thank you for attending last Thursday’s webinar: Legal 500 – Expert tips for the EMEA deadline. We hope it helped clarify some of the grey areas and provided valuable insights. Below you will find key takeaways, as well as the link to the recording. 

Here are some of the key points we covered:

• Work highlights carry the most weight in Legal 500 submissions. While referee and market feedback can help justify a ranking, they hold less influence than the quality and substance of the matters you present.
• Researchers will assess your firm’s overall team strength and depth of capability, not just your star partners. Be sure to reflect this by highlighting a broad range of lawyers involved in matters, as well as any firms you’ve collaborated with.
• Present a strong and diverse client roster to showcase the breadth and quality of your practice.
• Be strategic and concise when describing matters. Clearly explain why each piece of work is complex, innovative, and impactful.
• Secure referee consent in advance and keep them informed when the research process begins. Ask them to whitelist Legal 500’s email addresses to ensure they receive the requests. Choose referees who are available and responsive, regardless of seniority.
• Watch out for updates in practice areas and terminology (https://www.legal500.com/the-legal-500-submission-information/europe-middle-east-africa-emea-submissions/). Legal 500 periodically introduces changes, so stay informed to ensure alignment

A question came up in the chat that we didn’t address at the time—regarding where Of Counsel can be ranked in Legal 500 submissions. Legal500 tries to align counsels with the experience levels typically reflected in the individual categories. For instance, an Of Counsel with 10–20 years’ experience would be considered for the Leading Individual or Next Generation Partner categories, rather than Leading Associate. Conversely, a more junior counsel may be considered for Leading Associate. 

We recommend that the firm nominate the individual for the category that best reflects their experience, and the editorial team will then assess the suitability accordingly.

Click here to watch the full recording of the webinar (Passcode: OEKy#3&*)