So you have read last week’s blog and held that thought: “At last. For the next few months I won’t need to worry about submissions or referee spreadsheets. One less thing on my endless to-do list.”
Not really! This is the most common mistake law firms make when it comes to their approach to Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500. Law firms will send their submissions and spreadsheets through and then forget about the directories until the next deadline comes up. Thinking about rankings just falls off their radar for a good few months.
Being ranked in legal directories takes much more than just having an outstanding legal practice. The information that demonstrates your work is of the highest quality needs to be shown in a precise, direct manner. In order for you to achieve this, there are three basic steps you must follow: write your submissions very well, nurture strong relationships with the directories and, above all, with your clients. Next week I will write on the subject of those three steps in more detail.
So how to achieve well-written and accurate content about your firm and long-lasting relationships with clients, Legal 500, and Chambers and Partners if you forget all about them the very minute you send off the referee spreadsheet and submission? The answer is simple: there is no way you can do this.
I usually compare being ranked by legal directories to achieving the highest grade in your final exams. You can’t just sit down to study everything the night before your test and think you’ll get an A. In order to obtain a good result, you will need to have studied for a while before your test, building up all the knowledge required over time. The same applies to legal directories: the preparation to achieve good rankings should be ongoing. The work must be continuous, with no pause or respite, throughout the whole year.
If you need help improving your rankings, get in touch with us. We can help you develop a strategic approach to each practice area of your firm, we can review your submissions and provide much more besides. All our services are tailored to your firm’s needs.