The Legal 500: Law firm submissions 101

April 4, 2022

We love legal rankings. It’s true.

We love a lot of normal loveable things, like dogs and books and hot coffee. But we may be unique in our affinity for keeping tabs on the best legal rankings in the game and sharing that information with our clients. 

In the past, we’ve chatted in depth about Chambers and Partners, Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers

Today’s star is The Legal 500.

Warm up your coffee ’cause here we go!
(Note: We refreshed this blog post in November 2023 to reflect new insights from The Legal 500 and common questions they hear.)

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Chambers and Partners: Law firm submissions 101

June 29, 2023

Two years ago we published our original Chambers and Partners 101 blog post.

Does the memory echo like a gong throughout your bones?

I lean towards the dramatic because deciding to submit to Chambers can feel dramatic. And my goal is certainly not to peer pressure you to submit.

Not all law firms have the bandwidth to support the robust submissions required by Chambers, which is why many of our clients submit for the first time with our support. We recommend pursuing a Chambers ranking to clients because it’s considered one of the most weighty of law firm recognitions by in-house counsel.

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Benchmark Litigation: Law firm submissions 101

March 28, 2023

Class is back in session!

It’s been a minute, but I’m back to pontificate about the wonders that are legal awards and recognitions.

Did ya miss me?

(If you’ve been studying up, you know we’ve already chatted about The Legal 500, Law360, Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers.)

Okay, with a dash more seriousness: There are pages upon pages of legal recognitions that I’m sure you get spammed with often. Some pop up on social feeds while others have a more personalized touch by sliding into your inbox and addressing you by name.

We’re here to help separate the grit from the gold.

One legal award ranking that always makes our short list is Benchmark Litigation

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A legal tech professional’s guide to the media you must know: The bloggers and media outlets

September 30, 2022
Securing coverage in trusted media outlets will help build your case before notoriously selective lawyers and other legal tech purchasers.

It has never been a better time to be in legal technology. As the billable-hour model confronts continual client backlash, law firms and in-house counsel are more eager than ever to streamline their work with the right technology. Law firm partners are also seeking new ways to leverage technology to expedite discovery work, create compelling trial presentations and maximize profits.

Through legal transformation, the process of leveraging technology, outsourcing and other tools to “transform” the way legal tasks are done, companies and law firms have been able to realize cost savings across the board by automating traditionally manual processes — all while helping counsel both outside and in-house focus their legal acumen on more pressing, high-risk matters.

It does not matter if you’re an eDiscovery company, contract lifecycle management (CLM) provider, e-sign processor, or Web 3.0 application developer; there is space for your company to grow and compete in a rapidly growing niche that already sports several multibillion-dollar unicorns. However, companies and startups entering the legal field will find that the very lawyers they are targeting care about the same selling points: each company’s reputation and ability to create value. 

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Law360: Law firm submissions 101

July 25, 2022

There are more legal rankings and award opportunities than degrees on our summer thermostats.

And while some are legitimate recognitions for your law firm and attorneys, many are money grabs that give way more of an “aWaRdS” vibe — they aren’t worth your time and truly don’t serve to provide a distinction.

Now, we don’t want to come across as too negative. There are many legal awards we highly recommend for clients (Chambers, The Legal 500, Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers are some of our favorites).  

Today we are exploring Law360 awards and rankings, and why we think they are worth the non-billable hours for your firm.

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Super Lawyers: Law firm submissions 101

March 2, 2022

After a brief hiatus to cover all things LinkedIn company pages, we’re returning our focus to our “law firms submissions 101” series, where we review everything you need to know about the top legal rankings and awards programs. 

When we last left our heroes, we had just learned all about Chambers and the nitty-gritty details covering the lengthy submission process, as well as the ins and outs of Best Lawyers.

This month we are investigating (dramatic drum roll pleaseeeee) Super Lawyers!

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The Best Lawyers in America: Law firm submissions 101

October 29, 2021
The Best Lawyers in America: Law firm submissions 101

We love legal rankings.

Well. Let me rephrase.

We love legal rankings that are worth your time, and also carry credibility when awarded.

Recently, we did a deep dive into why we are fans of Chambers.. 

Another legal ranking we recommend? Best Lawyers®

On our Spill the Ink podcast, Michelle chatted with Elizabeth Petit, Director of Research and Development, and Managing Editor at Best Lawyers. I listened to their conversation a few times (because I’m a big fan of the podcast and it was chock-full of incredible information), and have boiled down the highlights for you here!

*pop popcorn, reheat coffee, let’s go* 

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Law firm marketing: are ads and ‘paid profiles’ in legal directories worth it?

October 6, 2014

As legal marketers, we are regularly asked by our law firm clients about rankings, directories, awards and the like (for the legal marketers out there reading: shocking, I know). Rankings like Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Martindale-Hubbell and more have proliferated to the point that entire jobs exist at law firms for the sole purpose of managing the lengthy and detailed submission processes. In fact, I believe the number now hovers around 1,000—that’s right, 1,000—surveys and rankings out there of law firms and attorneys, all competing for attention and advertising dollars.

We ourselves just spent the last month working on detailed Chambers submissions for several clients, and regularly write award submissions for media outlets like Law360, the National Law Journal and American Lawyer. While I see value in awards, especially those with advertising-independent research processes and those done by credible media outlets, I see no value in buying advertising (including display ads and “enhanced profiles”) in any legal directories out there. Here’s why:

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Looking for a marketing and PR agency? Consider niche AEC specialists

October 23, 2023

If your company or firm’s marketing team needs a little extra help, or you’re starting from scratch and want to build brand awareness and credibility for your business, hiring a marketing and public relations agency can be a game-changer. 

Maybe you’ve already decided to hire an agency and have begun your search, but how do you find one that is right for your firm? Instead of turning to a jack of all trades who reinvents the wheel with every new client, consider hiring an industry specialist agency. 

This kind of agency (you may already know one!) focuses on one or a few particular sectors, such as the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry (we work with legal clients, too). Because these agencies typically represent clients in only a few focused industries, they offer a level of insider knowledge and experience compared to one representing a grab bag of clients with various needs and nuances. 

So, what are the benefits? 

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What to do when a thought leader leaves your law firm

February 17, 2023

It’s no fun trying to replace a law firm’s in-house superstar. Think of all the countless hours of written-off billable time that the firm’s leaders likely spent mentoring that next partner-to-be, only to let that candidate — and the substantial book of business they initiated and nurtured — slip into the hands of a competitor or solo venture. However, this is precisely a status quo situation that most law firms must navigate, as roughly 36% of law firms reported seeing an increase in associate turnover in 2021 compared to 2020. 

Losing a leading professional hurts, especially if that lawyer or team member left an indelible mark on the firm. But they must still address the potential fallout from the departure, including how it may affect the reputation of its practice groups, team morale and how existing clients interface with the firm. An effective PR strategy — particularly one prepared by an experienced legal PR team — can help bridge these gaps and help the firm move onward and upward. Some considerations on how they can address this is presented below.

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