6 “Research-led directories such as Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 are considered to be the most sophisticated type of legal directory and are most favored by large business law firms because of their more rigorous methodology and selection process” Today, multilingual researchers sift through and examine thousands of submissions each year, with law firms using in-house resources or external consultants in varying roles to coordinate and add value to the submission process, often tapping into our experience to help firms prioritize, strategize, manage, write, edit and review – all to improve visibility. Chambers, Legal 500, and others draw their revenue from firms advertising profiles in the directories, although the placement of profiles does not influence the performance of the firm in the independent research assessment, with the profile and research departments purposefully kept separate during the research process. Other jurisdictions Similar products were established in markets such as Canada (Lexpert), Germany (Juve), Italy (TopLegal), Latin America (Latin Lawyer 250), and others. There are domestic guides also in Israel – BDI and Dun’s. Meanwhile in the U.S., there is also the reputable Best Lawyers, which was also established over 40 years ago and is a seasoned player in the market. Built around the methodology of “peer review,” lawyers would only get labeled a “Best Lawyer” and listed in the directory if they received enough recommendations from other private practice lawyers. In that way, it differs from Chambers USA, Legal 500 United States. Best Lawyers has also expanded and has been present in the UK market (as well as others) for over a decade. Other businesses followed their lead, and by the 1990s, the likes of Super Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal, Expert Guides and others. How do directories research the legal market and how can my firm enter/improve? Each of the guides you will work on has a distinct methodology, as well as their own definitions and timeframes for research. Whether you are meeting with lawyers to collect information, drafting a submission or writing a *shop window within a submission, it is important to focus on the needs of the guides: It’s about what they need to see, not what you want to say. So we must be familiar with their methodology, meet their submission criteria, and submit before the deadlines. Between the guides, there are slightly different ranking weights but a firm’s chances hinge on the: 1) quality of work 2) client feedback 3) peer feedback and acknowledgement. Let’s take each of these in turn: 1) The quality of work is showcased in “matter descriptions” or “work highlights” which ask the lawyer for some basic facts, as well as the key factor: What made it complex or innovative? This can be determined by a range of factors. It is very important to be clear here when writing as the researchers will
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