Sep

September law firm rankings, lists, awards and PR opportunities

September 17, 2024

Behold! Something that isn’t about the U.S. presidential election. Drink it in. Let it swirl around your mind until the bad taste is gone. Read it twice if you need to.

As we traverse pumpkin spice season, the former Starbucks barista in me is experiencing PTSD, but the rest of me is thrilled. As January’s less intense, flannel-wearing cousin, September is a month of fresh starts and back-to-school energy — and that applies to many legal awards, too.

One such publication gearing up for a new cycle is The Legal 500, which recently hosted a meet-the-editors webinar to demystify its research process, referee requirements and submission essentials ahead of the November 20 deadline.

The Legal 500’s approach is somewhat different from Chambers and Partners in that it puts less emphasis on interviews, market perception and other intangibles (though they’re still important) and focuses more on hard evidence of significant achievements. It’s therefore crucial that your submission has no marketing puff (their word, not mine!) and is backed up with receipts.

The researchers don’t want reams of technical information for a given matter; they want a concise explanation of why it’s noteworthy. And if you do schedule an interview, make sure it’s with a lawyer who’s active on the cases you’re highlighting — as opposed to a managing partner who might not be in the trenches every day. We have more insights into The Legal 500 here.

Here are the legal PR opportunities on our watch list this month:

ALM’s General Counsel Conference Southwest — Legal experts from across the Southwest will unite in Dallas to explore the most pressing issues, challenges, emerging trends, best practices and strategies from September 18-19.
Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Dealmakers in America — Submissions are due September 20, after which point you needn’t worry about Lawdragon until the next deadlines in December.
The Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics’ Compliance and Ethics Institute Conference — Registration is open for the SCCE’s largest annual conference, which you can attend in Texas or virtually from September 22-25.
Profiles in Diversity Journal’s Q4 Leadership Awards — Accolades recognizing Black Leadership, Innovations in Diversity, Diverse Lawyers Making a Difference and Team Leadership are due September 27.
Corporate Counsel’s Women, Influence and Power in Law Conference — More than 700 women leaders in the legal profession will gather for this ALM event in Chicago from September 23-25 to exchange insights into industry trends and personal and career development.
The Law Firm Media Professionals’ Am Law Media Panel — If you have a burning question for an ALM editor, now’s your chance! My former colleagues will be jumping on an October 1 LMFP Zoom call to discuss their newsroom structure and core pillars of content. On a separate note, the Am Law 100, Am Law 200 and Global 200 benchmark webcasts are seeking sponsors. Emailing marketingsolutions@alm.com is your best bet for more info.
Chambers — This year, October 3 isn’t just the day we celebrate the iconic “It’s October 3rd” Mean Girls scene; it’s also the deadline for various national Chambers submissions. How fetch. Check the research schedule for specifics.
The Managing Partner Forum’s 2024 Fall Symposium — Aimed at empowering women in law firm leadership, this Chicago event will feature panel discussions on strategic planning, talent retention, succession, compensation models and business development from October 8-9.
Law360’s Practice Groups of the Year — The last Law360 award deadline of the year is on October 11 at the very specific time of 8 p.m. ET. This recognition highlights practice groups across more than 30 practice areas that have achieved the biggest wins and handled the most significant deals over the past year.
Law360’s Global Law Firms Series — This survey will spotlight law firms with a large and diverse global presence (especially those with a significant U.S. presence that also operate in at least five countries). To participate, you’ll need to submit data on your firm’s global footprint by October 11.
Turnaround & Workouts’ Outstanding Turnaround Firms — Nominations for ongoing and recently completed out-of-court workouts are welcome for this annual list, which highlights the firms and professionals providing on-site management and navigating difficult decisions at troubled and bankrupt firms. The deadline is October 25.
American Bar Association’s The Pipeline Council Alexander Awards for Excellence in Pipeline Diversity — The ABA’s Alexander Awards honor individuals or organizations for exemplary leadership and supporting underrepresented students through law school and into the legal profession. Get your submissions in by October 25.
Also closing on October 25 is early-bird pricing for Corporate Counsel’s Gene r al Counsel Conference East, which runs from November 18-19 in New York.
American Bar Association’s Class Actions National Institute — Billed as the nation’s premier class action conference, this event is in Nashville from October 24-25.
ALM’s Florida Legal Awards — I warned you it was right around the corner! Nominations will open in October, so you might want to start your cat-herding now.
Legalweek’s Leaders in Tech Law Awards — Nominations for this ALM award are now open. It celebrates lawyers working with tech companies on game-changing projects and moving the legal profession forward with innovative initiatives in the U.S. The submission deadline is December 2.