Chambers and Partners can be a daunting process for everyone involved, from legal marketers to lawyers. But there are things you can do to make the process easier on yourself and others while increasing your chances of being ranked.
1. Complete your referees first
We’ve heard it before–the referees are the most important part of your Chambers submission. Though we know you can’t be ranked without positive feedback from the market, we still tend to spend the least amount of time on our referees. We have every intention of getting to them . . . . and then the rest of the submission consumes us. By doing the referees first, you not only allow time for tips 2 and 3, but you can dedicate as much attention to them as they deserve.
2. Be strategic about your referees
Throw together your list of referees, submit it, and forget about it? Wrong. Use your 20 spots strategically. Be thoughtful about who you list. It’s better to list someone more likely to respond to the Chambers researcher than the person with the most senior job title. The best client referee doesn’t need to be a CEO or a general counsel. Pick the person who is familiar with your work and who will sing your praises.
3. Ask referees for permission to list them before you do so.
Asking your referees for permission to list them in advance of submitting is one of the single most important things you can do. Not only is it courteous to your clients, but it also improves your chances that they will respond to the researcher when they are contacted.
BONUS TIP: Ask them if you can use them as a reference for all your submissions throughout the year, and let them know you’ll remind them for each publication. This sets you up nicely for tip 4.
4. Track Chambers’ progress in contacting your referees
Ask your researcher when they plan to contact your referees, and then give your referees a heads up to look out for an email from Chambers. Also ask referees to let you know once they have responded. This is the best way to ensure you get the highest response possible. Clients are just as busy as you — if it’s not on their radar, they may overlook it or dismiss it as spam. The researcher won’t divulge which clients have responded, but they will tell you how many of your 20 have. If you have a low response rate, follow up with your referees. Once again, client feedback is the most important factor in a researcher’s consideration. Don’t leave it to chance. And of course, once you get ranked, send a big thank you to the clients you listed.
5. Know the publication backward and forward
The best way to feel confident about your submission is to really become an expert on Chambers and Partners’ process. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the publication’s history? How long have they been around? How do they rank among other legal directories?
- What is their methodology?
- What are the submission guidelines?
- Have the submission or referee templates been updated in the previous year?
- Who is the researcher?
- Does the publication provide FAQs, editorial guidelines or example submissions?
- Does the website provide news regarding the submission?
6. Have your own agenda for your interview
Your interviewer will spend most of the time asking you about other firms and lawyers, but they will give you an opportunity to speak about yourself and your firm. Come prepared with a few messaging points that will differentiate you from other ranked firms. Make sure you are familiar with your submission and review the client matters you submitted prior to getting on the phone with your researcher. Remember, now is not the time for modesty. Make your case clearly as to why your team should be ranked. The Chambers researcher will also ask you about wider market trends. This is another opportunity to weave in the messages you want to get across.
7. Review currently ranked lawyers and firms before your interview
Your researcher will expect you to have a copy of the previous years’ rankings in front of you during your interview. Be sure you have reviewed the list and have positive comments to share with them about lawyers at other firms. While you should feel comfortable being honest about missing or incorrectly placed lawyers or firms, make sure to follow the 80/20 rule as to how much positive and negative feedback you provide. If you are too critical you risk alienating the researcher.
8. Play a long game
Part of what makes Chambers worth its salt is its exclusivity. They don’t let just anyone on the list, and it certainly isn’t easy to land one of the coveted spots. So if you don’t get ranked on the first couple of attempts, don’t give up. Manage your team’s expectations on this and make sure they know that it’s a long game, and winning requires grit.
