Written by Daniela Spiro, submissions coordinator.

For me, there were many big dates this summer – however, only three come to mind. There was June 1, the Chambers deadline; August 8, the Legal 500 deadline; and June 12, my wedding. Surprisingly, I think my wedding may have been the least stressful of them all. 

While submission deadlines will always be demanding, there were some things I learned this summer that, when properly applied, will make next year’s submissions easier. 

Maintain clear communication with your marketing departments:

When starting any submission process, communication is the key to success. It’s important that you have a good relationship with your marketing team and that you are all on the same page. One of the ways of doing this is ensuring that everyone knows what their respective roles and responsibilities are. 

I noticed that a kickstart meeting with the marketing representative will foster organization from the outset. In this meeting, it is important that the marketing team and partners clearly define their roles and responsibilities and that an achievable timeline is carved out. 

Subsequently, I would also recommend having weekly Zoom calls where the marketing team, firm management and the lawyers discuss the status of the submissions. This is a fantastic way to keep everything moving. 

I think this approach is very effective and often results in a very smooth submissions process for any firm. 

Rethink your strategy when it comes to individual rankings: 

While choosing lawyers to nominate may appear straightforward, what typically happens is that most of the partners want to be put forward. It is imperative to focus on qualified and relevant lawyers who are PROMINENT on the matters and win the client feedback to merit a ranking. 

Including too many people can have the opposite effect; if they are not on many matters, it can lead to the conclusion that the department is built on a team of “generalists” rather than “specialists.” This would be counterproductive as the guide, ultimately, is aimed at clients seeking specialists in an area of law that THEY need. 

This is where having an independent legal marketing company with vast experience can be invaluable. Not only can it help a firm focus on strategy, but also build the most effective submission and platform for the future. 

Send the submission drafts out at least a month in advance:

If I have learned anything this summer, it is that firms need a month (and sometimes more) to review drafts. Especially, in the summer when many are out of office. This means that one cannot become despondent after the Chambers’ submission. On the other hand, marketing teams should catch the partners while the cases are fresh in their minds and push forward with Legal 500 as quickly as possible. 

These were my biggest takeaways this summer and I hope they will help you, your firm, or the firms you advise with their submissions process.

Please leave in the comments section any tips on how to better draft and handle submissions.