Get the Legal Directory Rankings Your Firm Deserves - Without the Internal Chaos
We handle every stage of your Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR1000 submissions - strategy, writing, referee management and post-submission feedback - led by a former lawyer who managed his own firm's submissions in-house.
69% of General Counsel check a legal directory before instructing a law firm. Your ranking is your first impression.
By the numbers
Sound familiar?
The directory process is broken at most firms - and it's costing you rankings
Submissions slip through the cracks while partners are buried in client work. Here is where it goes wrong.
Deadlines ambush you
They arrive while partners are consumed with client work - so submissions get rushed at the last minute.
Referees go cold
Chosen as an afterthought, never briefed, and never responding to researchers - the single biggest ranking killer.
Recycled submissions
Last year's text, copy-pasted and delegated to juniors without guidance on what researchers actually weigh.
Rankings lag reality
The gap between your firm's true quality and its directory band is visible to clients and competitors alike.
Weaker firms outrank you
Competitors with thinner practices place above you simply because their submissions are better written.
BD teams are stretched
Internal teams lack the time, insider knowledge, or bandwidth to optimise every submission properly.
ROI is invisible
Hard to justify the time and spend to management when no one is measuring the return.
There's a better way
A managed, insider-led process that turns directory season from chaos into compounding rankings.
Insider knowledge
Led by a lawyer who has actually run these submissions
Directory researchers work to specific internal criteria - how matters are weighted, what referee feedback carries, what makes an interview land. Knowing how that process really works - from preparing submissions inside a law firm - is the difference between ranked and unranked.
Our founder is a former practising lawyer who personally managed his firm's Chambers and Legal 500 submissions - living the deadlines, the referee chasing and the matter selection from the inside. That first-hand experience, paired with legal-content specialists who write to each directory's weighting, is what we bring to your firm. With deep focus on the UAE and the wider Middle East, we understand the regional nuance no global competitor targets.
“
Having sat on the law-firm side, I know exactly where submissions lose marks - and most of it happens long before a word is written.
- Founder, Konan & Spade LMA · former practising lawyer
Why insider-led wins
- ✓ Matter selection tuned to each directory's weighting
- ✓ Referees briefed the way researchers expect
- ✓ Interview prep that anticipates the real questions
- ✓ Regional context for the UAE, Middle East & APAC
How it works
A six-stage process built to rank - not just to submit
Every stage is managed for you, designed to minimise disruption to fee-earners while maximising your result.
Rankings Audit
An honest assessment of your current position, your realistic potential, and which directories are actually worth the investment.
Strategy Session
Agreed short, medium and long-term ranking targets with clear KPIs - so success is defined before we begin.
Information Gathering
Structured collection of matter highlights and team achievements - engineered to take the least possible time from your lawyers.
Submission Writing
Drafting, optimisation and proofreading tailored to each directory's specific weighting criteria - never recycled.
Referee Management
Selection, briefing, monitoring and chasing of referees - the most neglected step, and the one that costs firms the most rankings.
Post-Submission Support
Interview preparation, researcher liaison, feedback analysis and a head start on next cycle's strategy.
Transparent pricing
Clear packages. No "call us to find out the cost."
Choose the level of support your firm needs - from expert review of your own drafts to a full multi-directory partnership.
Submission Review & Edit
For firms with internal teams who need an expert second pair of eyes.
- ✓ Structural feedback on existing drafts
- ✓ Line-level content editing & proofing
- ✓ Referee list review & recommendations
- ✓ Directory-specific weighting notes
Full Submission Management
Complete end-to-end service - we run the entire cycle for you.
- ✓ Rankings audit & strategy session
- ✓ Information gathering with your team
- ✓ Full submission writing & optimisation
- ✓ End-to-end referee management
- ✓ Interview prep & researcher liaison
Strategic Partnership
Annual, multi-directory, multi-jurisdiction retainer.
- ✓ All directories & jurisdictions covered
- ✓ Quarterly KPI reporting
- ✓ Training for your internal BD team
- ✓ Continuous improvement across cycles
All engagements begin with a free, no-obligation rankings assessment. Prices confirmed in writing before any work starts.
Coverage
Every major legal directory - each with its own playbook
A Chambers submission is not a Legal 500 submission. We tailor strategy, content and referees to how each directory actually ranks.
| Directory | Coverage Regions | Unique Submission Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Chambers & Partners | Global, UK, Europe, USA, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Greater China, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany | Heavily weighted on editorial interviews and referee feedback; needs nuanced matter selection. |
| The Legal 500 | EMEA, UK, US, Asia Pacific - all jurisdictions, firms & Bar | Greater emphasis on the written submission; different weighting and content structure to Chambers. |
| IFLR1000 | Global | Focused on financial & corporate practices; requires specific deal data and transaction values. |
| Who's Who Legal | Global | Individual lawyer recognition; peer-nomination driven; needs a different positioning strategy. |
| Best Lawyers | Global | Peer-review methodology; nomination & endorsement driven; annual cycle management is critical. |
| Lexology Index · ALB · IP Stars · WTR | Varies by directory | Niche & specialist directories that can deliver disproportionate ROI for focused practice areas. |
Built by our sister entity
Your submissions run on Folio, built by our sister entity Eutin Warren
Directory submissions, award entries, pitches, credentials, contacts and branded documents - Folio brings everything your BD team works on into one platform, with AI-assisted drafting and built-in compliance for every major legal directory. Built by our sister firm Eutin Warren, it is the same system we use to manage your submissions end to end.
BD Intelligence
- ✓ AI-assisted submission drafting, tuned per directory
- ✓ Built-in compliance for every major legal directory
- ✓ Referee, deadline and submission tracking in one view
- ✓ A single source of truth for matters, pitches and profiles
- ✓ Trusted by law firms across the UAE, India, Canada and the US
Proof, not promises
Specific outcomes for firms like yours
Replace the placeholders below with named client results before launch - specificity is what sophisticated legal buyers trust.
Unranked → Band 3
Achieved in a single submission cycle for a mid-size corporate practice through restructured matter selection and referee briefing.
Band 2 → Band 1
A tier improvement driven by a rewritten submission and a fully managed referee response rate.
First-time ranking
A firm that had never submitted ranked at first attempt with structured deal data and transaction values.
“The referee management alone was worth it. For the first time our referees actually responded to the researchers - and it showed in the result.”
“They turned our scattered, last-minute scramble into a calm, managed process - and we moved up a band in our flagship practice for the first time in years.”
Specialist focus
Directory research differs by jurisdiction and practice - we build for that
Most consultancies treat directories as one monolithic service. We tailor the approach to where and how you practise.
Corporate / M&A · Chambers
Matter selection that surfaces deal complexity and value the way Chambers researchers reward - not a list of closings.
Disputes / Litigation · Chambers
Positioning around landmark matters, advocacy and outcomes that referees and editors weigh most heavily.
Financial Services · Legal 500
Banking & finance submissions built around regulatory depth, transaction data and cross-border capability.
Asia-Pacific Firms
Region-aware strategy for Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500 Asia Pacific, including Greater China nuance.
UAE · Middle East · GCC
Our core market. Submissions that reflect how the directories actually assess firms across the UAE, the wider GCC and South Asia.
Cross-Border · IFLR1000
For transaction-heavy firms - deal-led submissions with the financial and corporate data IFLR1000 demands.
Answers
Legal directory submissions - your questions, answered
What are legal directory submissions and why do they matter?
Legal directories such as Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 rank law firms and individual lawyers by practice area. A strong ranking is a primary trust signal - around 69% of General Counsel consult a directory before instructing a firm, so your band directly influences whether you make the shortlist.
How is a Chambers submission different from a Legal 500 submission?
Chambers weights editorial interviews and referee feedback heavily and rewards nuanced matter selection. The Legal 500 places greater emphasis on the written submission itself. The two require different content structures, weighting and referee strategies - which is why a single recycled document underperforms in both.
What information do you need from our lawyers?
A structured set of matter highlights, deal or case data, and team achievements. Our information-gathering process is engineered to take the minimum possible time from fee-earners - typically a short, guided input rather than a blank-page request.
How long does a submission take to prepare?
A single practice-area submission typically takes two to four weeks end-to-end, depending on complexity and referee availability. We always work backwards from the directory deadline and build in time for referee chasing - the step most firms run out of time for.
When are the submission deadlines for Chambers, Legal 500 and IFLR?
Deadlines vary by guide and region and shift each cycle - Chambers and Legal 500 run rolling deadlines across their many jurisdictional guides. We maintain a current deadline calendar for every directory and jurisdiction we cover and map your firm's submissions against it during the strategy session.
How do referees affect rankings and how do you manage them?
Referee feedback is one of the most influential ranking factors, and non-responding referees are the single most common reason firms underperform. We select, brief, monitor and chase referees on your behalf - managing the step that is most often neglected internally.
Can you help a firm that has never submitted before?
Yes. First-time submissions are a core part of our work - we identify the directories and categories where you have the strongest chance of an initial ranking and build the submission to maximise it.
Can you help a firm that is already ranked but wants to improve?
Absolutely. We audit why you are ranked where you are, identify the gaps holding you back, and rebuild the submission and referee strategy to target the next band up.
How do you handle multiple practice areas and jurisdictions?
We coordinate submissions across every practice area and jurisdiction you compete in, sequencing them against each directory's deadlines and ensuring consistency of positioning while tailoring each to its specific category.
What happens after the submission is made?
We prepare your spokespeople for editorial interviews, liaise with researchers, analyse the feedback once results are published, and translate it into a head start on next cycle's strategy.
How do you measure success and report on ROI?
Success is defined up front as agreed KPIs - new rankings, band improvements, individual recognitions. We report against those targets each cycle so the return on your directory investment is visible to management.
Do you offer training for our internal BD/marketing team?
Yes - our Strategic Partnership tier includes training so your in-house team can run stronger submissions over time, with us providing strategy, review and quality control.
What are the most common reasons submissions fail?
Non-responding referees, recycled or generic content, poor matter selection, and missing the directory's specific weighting criteria. Our process is built to eliminate each of these failure points.
How much does your service cost?
Our Submission Review & Edit and Full Submission Management tiers are priced per practice-area category, with the Strategic Partnership offered as a custom annual retainer. Every engagement starts with a free rankings assessment and a written quote before any work begins.
No pitch, just clarity
Book a free 30-minute directory strategy call
We'll assess your current submissions and tell you exactly where the gaps are. No obligation. No sales pitch.
- ✓ A candid read on your realistic ranking potential
- ✓ The directories & categories worth your investment
- ✓ A clear next step - whether or not you work with us