As legal directories look to broaden and improve their research, there are key changes for law firms to pay attention to, but not worry about. With the Legal 500 EMEA deadline in August, here is what you can expect and how it will affect your firm:
Submissions will now be uploaded to the Legal 500 website, not emailed.
As is protocol for Chambers, Legal 500 submissions will now be uploaded to their website and the email submission process has been eliminated. This is expected to improve the efficiency for both the firms and researchers.
Members of a firm will be able to work on multiple documents at once under a single log-in platform
Online log in allows for greater efficiency although only one person can work on a particular document at any given time.Submissions can be updated and replaced until a certain cut-off point, at which point the documents will be locked in order to avoid researchers accidentally working with outdated materials.
For those firms hesitant about the online submission template, there is an option to download the submission form and circulate it internally for completion. The document is then uploaded to the online platform.
Submission dates have changed –August 13
Unlike in previous years where there were two separate submission dates for referees and submissions, both will be due on the same date –August 13. That gives firms an extra 10 days to decide on those all-important referees.
Template has been introduced
A uniform template –this template includes more or less the same information that Legal 500 has requested until now and in a similar style, but the format is now be regimented to fit within easily understandable fields. This mustbe used.
The new template now offers space for 20 matters, with a request to limit it to 20 where possible.
New practice areas
For the most part, the practice areas remain unchanged. However, Real Estate has now been split into three categories: Planning and Zoning, Urban Renewal, and Real Estate and Construction.
This move to uploading submissions on the digital platform is part of the plans for a fresh, reliable and more accessible website, which is currently in development. An archive of all past uploaded submissions will also be available to law firms –useful in the event that a key marketing person leaves the firm access to older records is needed.
Incidentally, Legal 500 has done away with their printed guides, beginning with our the most recent EMEA 2018 rankings published this April.
Legal 500 Workshops
Nishlis Legal Markting will be conducting two workshops, lead by Adina Grossman, head of our submissions department, in order to go over the significant changes and to familiarise participants with the new template. For additional information and to sign up, click here (Hebrew).
About the Author: Idan Nishlis
Idan Nishlis is the legal marketing pioneer in Israel. Being the only professional in the country to have studied services marketing, specializing in legal marketing, Idan has the most diversified and comprehensive work experience in the field, having worked in the US and Israel. Idan founded the first legal marketing department in Israel at Herzog Fox & Neeman which he managed for over 4 years, before launching Nishlis Legal Marketing. Idan’s core strength lies in strategy and branding.
