Q. What is Client Satisfaction and how is it measured?
Each year we survey hundreds of thousands of clients on the Client Service they receive from law firms. We also produce a law firm variant of the well-known Net Promoter ScoreSM (NPS®) Customer Experience matrix, first devised by Bain & Co. These are the only valid globally comprehensive law firm NPS® ratings in the world.
Our Client Service ratings and our Customer Experience ratings together provide a definitive guide to law firm Client Satisfaction.
Q. Why doesn’t our firm have a Client Satisfaction score?
Our law firm rankings assess the capabilities of the world’s best law firms according to multiple criteria, including our assessment of the complexity and significance of the work they have completed, the strength of the practice and key individual professionals on the team, and peer and client endorsement. Firms ranked in our tables are the elite of the profession in each practice area.
Alongside those rankings, for the first time, we are acknowledging Client Satisfaction excellence for the top 30% of firms in each jurisdiction according to their score. That does not mean that other firms in the rankings do not provide excellent client service, but it does allow those firms who have achieved truly outstanding scores to see that achievement recognised at legal500.com.
Firms can learn about their scores through our new KPI reports. This shows how the firm scores in its key work areas, and how it scores relative to its competitors. Contact us now for more information or (for existing customers) speak to your account manager.
Q. Does the Client Satisfaction Score impact our Tier Ranking?
Assessment criteria and processes for our core rankings are unchanged by the addition of client satisfaction excellence accolades. Our researchers continue to evaluate a number of factors in order to make accurate ranking decisions, including the complexity and significance of completed work, the strength of the practice, key individual professionals on the team, and peer and client endorsement. All rankings at legal500.com should be regarded as a recommendation – and in reality all ranked firms will deliver high quality client service.
Q. How can I find out more about our law firm scores for Client Satisfaction?
Every law firm can buy a Client Satisfaction KPI Analysis report. This shows how the firm scores in its key work areas, and how it scores relative to its competitors. All scores are guaranteed to be statistically valid.
To enquire about a Client Satisfaction KPI Analysis report, Contact us for
more information or (for existing customers) speak to your account manager.
Q. How can we improve our Client Satisfaction score?
Using one of our new KPI Analysis reports firms can find out what all their scores are. Contact us now for more information or speak to your account manager.
Bespoke reporting options are also available, in which we carry out more extensive surveys. Those surveys will be conducted confidentially but allow us to provide firms with in-depth data sets. These may show results for more granular client service criteria, compare assessments between multiple industry sectors, or offer insight at a departmental level within law firms.
Contact us for more information or (for existing customers) speak to your
account manager.
Q. What criteria makes up a Client Satisfaction score?
We ask firm’s clients to measure client service across multiple criteria:
- Appropriate Resourcing
- Billing Transparency
- Value for Work Done
- Communications and Case Management
- Consistency of Service
- Efficiency in Delivering the Legal Product
- Industry/Commercial Knowledge
- Lawyer and Team Quality
- Partner Availability and Engagement
- Profile in the Industry Sector
- Quality of Associates
- Quality of Partners
We also assess the consistency of client assessments (in other words, how wide and varied is the range of scores supplied from survey respondents).
Finally we ask clients to assess Customer Experience via a sector-specific adaptation of the Net Promoter ScoreSM (NPS®) system, first devised by Bain & Co (‘How likely is it that you would recommend this firm to a friend or colleague?’).
Each client we survey globally is invited to provide their assessment by this measure in the same way that they provide client service evaluations. The answers provided are on a 10-to-0 scale, with 10 being “Extremely Likely” to recommend, and 0 being “Not At All Likely” to recommend. Respondents are then categorised as ‘Detractors’ (0-6); ‘Passives’ (7-8); and ‘Promoters’ (9-10). The NPS® score is calculated by (i) ignoring the Passives, and (ii) deducting the percentage who are Detractors from the percentage who are Promoters.
These are analysed across multiple work areas and compared to the scores of other law firms in those work areas. They are also compared by jurisdiction, trade bloc, and globally.
Thus we are able to build an objective view of relative excellence of Client Satisfaction in every jurisdiction around the world.
All our scores are validated as being statistically correct. They are not based on opinion, reputation, money paid, or any other factor.
We compare the survey results of hundreds of thousands of law firm clients each year. In total, we have over 15 million client survey data points (and we are constantly adding more). It is the unique scale of that data pool which makes our Client Satisfaction scores so important.
Q. Does the Legal 500 hold additional Client Satisfaction data on our firm?
We only publish a limited amount of the Client Service and Customer Experience data we hold. Alongside our rankings we only publish the firm-wide Overall Client Service Star Rating and the firm-wide Customer Experience Star Rating.
For many firms, we have more detailed Client Service drill-down data which, typically, includes analysis by multiple criteria (including: Communications and Case Management; Consistency of Service; Efficiency in Delivering the Legal Product; Industry/Commercial Knowledge; Lawyer and Team Quality; Partner Availability and Engagement; Profile in the Industry Sector; Quality of Associates; Quality of Partners), as well as by more detailed work areas, and office location. Subject to availability of data we can also provide Work Area Customer Experience ratings.
Every law firm can buy a Client Satisfaction KPI Analysis report showing how the firm scores across key work areas and positioning its scores relative to those of its competitors. All scores are guaranteed to be (statistically) valid. Contact us for more information or (for existing customers) speak to your account manager. .
Q. Should my company focus on Client Satisfaction when choosing a law firm?
Client Satisfaction is only one aspect of using a law firm’s services. You also need to consider the firm’s expertise and capabilities (recognised in our rankings). Both our rankings and client satisfaction assessments are measures of relative excellence among the world’s best law firms.
Q. Is Client Satisfaction the same as Client Service and Customer Experience?
- Client Service is based on surveys of twelve aspects of the service provided (such as Quality of Lawyers; Bill and Value for Money; Industry Knowledge; Consistency of Service).
- Customer Experience is based on the NPS® standard question: ‘How likely is it that you would recommend (this product, service, company) to a colleague or friend?’
They are two different measures of what clients think of their lawyers. We combine the two to produce a single Client Satisfaction score for each firm.
Client Service + Customer Experience = Client Satisfaction
Q. Is Client Service more important than Customer Experience?
They are different measures of Client Satisfaction.
Client Service is based on ten aspects of the service provided and is tailored specifically to the provision of legal services. Client Experience is based on one generic question (‘How likely is it that you would recommend (this product, service, company) to a colleague or friend?’). Putting these two measures together results in an; objective, robust guide to Client Satisfaction.
Q. We have additional referees who would like to provide feedback. Can we do this?
If your referees have not been able to provide feedback, or have missed the emails prompting them to do so, we have a contingency in place. Feedback can be submitted via this link:
https://www.legal500.com/referee-form/
This can be distributed to referees, who can use the form to submit feedback all year round. If this is submitted in a timely fashion, then it can be considered along with feedback submitted via the usual channels. Please note that there is no guarantee that feedback submitted outside of the research window will be published.
This also applies if email contact details have changed or incorrect details have been submitted.
Q. What is the difference between legal500.com and chambers.com?
Both websites provide ranked lists of recommended law firms and lawyers, assessed for their legal expertise, using extensive independent editorial research. legal500.com is also able to offer law firm recommendations based on objectively measured Customer Satisfaction scores.
Some observers distinguish between the two services by saying that chambers.com reflects the perceptions of law firms and individual lawyers, whilst legal500.com focuses on the perceptions and real world experience of law firm clients (and in a 2023 survey of client referees, 90% of those who expressed a preference said they preferred to use legal500.com).
legal500.com reports approximately 50% more web traffic thanchambers.com (based on published figures in 2022/23).
Q. How can we assess the quality of our submission?
Submissions Analysis Reports (SAR) represent The Legal 500’s quantitative feedback product and offer firms objective data regarding their submissions, all relative to market peers and average scores within a certain jurisdiction. These reports are typically booked directly before, or immediately following, a guide launch but before a firm’s next submission deadline, and are designed to help target specific areas for future improvement. We also include full and unedited client testimonials.
Q. How do I get login details to send you a submission?
Please fill out the form below and someone will be in touch with your login details.
Q. I don’t want to use The Legal 500 Portal – can I email documents direct to you instead?
No.
We take data security very seriously, and we are not prepared to accept confidential or third party information (such as Law Firm Submissions and Client Referee lists) via email. Any submissions sent by email will be regarded as a security risk and not be processed.
If you want to submit to The Legal 500 then you must register for The Legal 500 Portal and then upload your information via the Portal. No exceptions!
Q. Data Protection: is our confidential information safe?
We have been entrusted with confidential information from law firms for 35+ years. The credibility of The Legal 500 is based on the fact that firms can trust us with confidential information – knowing we will take care of it.
Firms can only upload information to us via the secure, dedicated, Legal 500 Portal. We have comprehensive data protection policies. All law firm information is ring-fenced. Note that we do not accept email copies of Law Firm Submissions or Client Referee lists (because of the security risks). We are Cyber Essentials certified. Our Staff cannot copy, print, or email any the files sent to us. You can download our Privacy Policy and our Third Party Information Undertaking here.
Q. We need help filling in the Word/Excel template
If you are unsure how to complete the Word and Excel templates then you can get help below –
Word template help
Excel template help
Q. We need The Legal 500 submissions (Word/Excel) templates
We use standardised templates, although they do vary from edition to edition. You can download the latest version for each edition from:
Asia Pacific; Canada; Caribbean; Deutschland (in English); Deutschland (in German); Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA); Latin America; United Kingdom (Solicitors); United Kingdom (The Bar); United States
You need to download two templates:
Client Referee lists: this is an Excel template. Help on filling it in can be found below.
Law Firm Submissions: this is a Word template.
Q. Must we use your pre-formatted Word and Excel templates?
Yes. For data security reasons, you must use our pre-formatted templates.
If you don’t, then you will not be able to upload the documents to us via the Legal 500 Portal – and remember that we only accept files via the Portal (we do not accept them via email).
You can download the latest version for each edition from:
Asia Pacific; Canada; Caribbean; Deutschland (in English); Deutschland (in German); Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA); Latin America; United Kingdom (Solicitors); United Kingdom (The Bar); United States
Remember that you will need to download two templates:
Law Firm Submissions: this is a Word template.
Client Referee lists: this is an Excel template.
Q. We don’t have our log-in details
Q. How do we use The Legal 500 Portal?
You use the Portal to send us Submissions documents and Client Referee.
Follow these steps:
Which Edition you are submitting for? Choose between: Asia Pacific; Canada; Caribbean; Deutschland (in English); Deutschland (in German); Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA); Latin America; United Kingdom (Solicitors); United Kingdom (The Bar); United States.
Check the submissions timetable for that Edition, visit our Submissions Information page.
Check which Country and Practice Areas you are submitting for. There is a list of Practice Areas here.
Do you want to create a Law Firm Submission or a Client Referee list (or both)?
To create a Law Firm Submission: download the pre-prepared Word template for that Edition here.
To create a Client Referee list: download the pre-prepared Excel template for that Edition here.
For data security reasons, you must use the pre-formatted Word / Excel templates, and cannot alter their layout, or delete any unwanted sections. If you do, the file will be rejected as a security risk.
You will need a separate Word / Excel file for each Practice Area
Upload the file(s) to us
You can come back and add new files, or amended files (but check the Submissions Timetable, to make sure you will not be too late – see (1) above)
Q. How do we access The Legal 500 Portal (submissions portal)?
You need to pre-register on behalf of your firm. Please apply here. We will then email you with login details.
Q. How does The Legal 500 do its research?
The client research undertaken for The Legal 500 has two main threads and encompasses both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Each year we write to firms inviting them to provide information on their specialist areas of practice and requesting specific details of work undertaken in the preceding year (some of which will be confidential and not in the public domain). This approach gives us a standard level and quality of data which, in turn, enables us to benchmark legal services providers with both more precision and more assurance.
We conduct interviews in person or by telephone with specialist attorneys in each subject area – generally the head of department or nominated partner. We also conduct interviews with chief executives, managing and senior partners of law firms, and practice managers. This helps us to obtain a clear picture of the direction the firm is taking and its strategy.
We contact 300,000 clients asking for feedback on the lawyers they instruct. Additionally, our team has regular contact with commerce and industry throughout the year as part of our ongoing research. Although interviewees are often in-house counsel, they are by no means exclusively so; in many cases it is the chief executive or finance director who has strategic responsibility for the buying decision, even where it is the in-house function that may have more day-to-day dealings with the actual providers. We interview investment bankers, commercial bankers and accountants who work regularly with lawyers.
Interviews are based on a standard-form questionnaire. However, supplementary questions and more wide-ranging conversations about both specific law firms and the key issues which inform the purchase of legal services are in fact the norm. This is not least because interviews are conducted by experienced journalists and researchers with a considerable depth of market knowledge. All interviews are non-attributable. Over the course of the year, we also receive numerous unsolicited comments and recommendations from clients.
As well as contacting those clients referred to us by law firms for the purposes of verification of their submissions, we benchmark these findings against a detailed representative sample of the world’s leading companies. In particular, we ensure that we have contacted a statistically valid sample of leading clients when ranked either by market cap, by business sector, or by region.
Q. How do you rank law firms?
When reviewing the performance of a firm or department we use various criteria; our focus is on the bench strength of the team (including partners and associates), and the consistency of quality of the individuals within the team. Our assessment will be influenced by all the things that make the complete practice in that field. Areas that are considered include (but are not limited to):
- Very strong technical ability available for the most complex and innovative work
- Most prestigious clients
- Individuals with the contacts at, and credibility with, the top clients
- In-depth capability beyond star partners
- Capacity for the biggest transactions/cases
- Market share
- Historical track record on top deals/cases
- Clear investment for the future in a particular practice area
- Progress made with acquiring new clients/ market share
- Strength in associated areas – eg can an M&A department undertake competition work to an equal standard?
- Reputation for handling complex, innovative deals
- Capacity to handle all client requirements in an area – eg international offices/connections
- Commitment to IT and the use of IT to improve client services
- Perception in the market.
Q. Can we use The Legal 500 logo in our marketing?
We encourage firms and sets to use the recommended logos on their web sites, email signatures and marketing materials, and where possible, to credit www.legal500.com as the source. Logos can only be used by firms, sets and individuals who have been recommended as part of our independent research in the editorial sections of The Legal 500.
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific logos
The Legal 500 Deutschland logos
The Legal 500 Latin America logos
The Legal 500 United States logos
Top Tier Firms: a firm that is listed in the top tier of one of our tables can use these logos.
Leading Firm: a firm listed in one of our tables can use these logos.
Leading individual lawyer: any individual recommended as a “leading lawyers” can use these logos.
Next Generation Partner: any individual recommended as a “next generation partner” can use these logos.
Rising Star: any individual recommended as a “rising star can use these logos.
Recommended Lawyer: any individual recommended in our editorial text can use these logos
Q. Can we access previous years’ rankings?
Yes.
All historical data, showing firm and and selected editorial for the past 5-13 years is available as part of a firm profile package on our Historical data website (data varies from region to region; data includes all firm rankings tables; individual recommended lawyers are included within the text but are not listed in tables).
Q. There are broken weblinks in the text
If there are broken or non-functioning links, please contact us.
Q. The editorial text contains errors
If there are factual errors then please contact us.
Q. What if our specialist practice area is not listed in The Legal 500?
We do not accept Law Firm Submissions or Client Referee lists other than for the practice areas listed for that particular edition of The Legal 500. See the list of practice areas, for each of the various editions, here.
If you think we should add a new practice area for future edition, then please contact us.
Q. We are not happy with our firm’s ranking. How are the rankings calculated?
It is impossible for our editorial to meet the aspirations of every firm and we know that there will always be firms that feel their abilities have not been properly recognised.
Please understand that our editors and researchers use their own judgement. They take into account a wide range of factors (including, but not limited to, Law Firms Submissions, Client Referee feedback, work handled, market feedback, client satisfaction scores, and historical performance).
We welcome constructive criticism and critical feedback. If you think we have got it wrong then do contact us (and set out the justifications for why you think we are wrong). We do not, however, enter into correspondence about our rankings and our editorial commentary.
If you would like further analysis of your submission, editorial ranking and position in the market, we have a range of reports that can be commissioned before, or after, publication of the rankings. Please contact Tim Verbrugge for further information.
Q. If we don’t provide a Law Firm Submission, will we still be in the rankings?
Law Firm Submissions are an important part of our editorial research process. If you don’t provide us with background information, then we have to rely solely on publicly available data. In practice, this means that a firm that does not send us a Law Firm Submission is unlikely to feature as prominently in our editorial and in our rankings.
Q. Can we speak to an editorial researcher?
We speak to many firms but we cannot speak to every firm. In practice, it is the Law Firm Submission and the Client Referee list that are important to our researchers – that usually provides them with the core background information they need. If they need to speak to an individual lawyer then they will email.
So our advice is to focus on ensuring your Law Firm Submission is as comprehensive as possible, and that your Client Referee lists contains as many referees as possible.
Q. How can we be part of The Legal 500?
The first step is to provide us with a written editorial Law Firm Submission. You can upload that to us via The Legal 500 Portal. You will need to register to use the Portal – apply here. You should also send us a list of Client Referees that we can contact (to request their confidential feedback)
Please refer to the editorial Submission Guidelines for advice on the information we ask for. There should be a separate Law Firm Submission, and Client Referee list, for each practice area you want to be considered for.
Q. Does a practice (or firm) have to be a certain size before it can be editorially recommended?
No. However, the size of the team, and its strength and depth, are among the factors which the editorial researcher will take into account when assessing a practice against its competitors. Others include the quality of work handled, the calibre of clients, referee feedback, and the reputation of individual practitioners. But a small department can still be worthy of recommendation in The Legal 500.
Q. What is the difference between Editorial and Sales?
The task of the editorial team is to research the legal market, practice area by practice area; to assign rankings to firms’ practices; and to write accompanying editorial. There is no cost associated with making an editorial submission. Our editorial is independent and we do not give preferential treatment to advertisers.
The sales side of The Legal 500 relates to the paid-for firm and partner profiles. The profiles are written by the firms, not by The Legal 500.
The editorial and sales sides operate independently. Some firms pay for profiles but are not recommended in the editorial. Others are recommended but choose not to take profiles.
If you have any queries regarding sales, you should contact Amy McDermott.
Q. We think we should be recommended. What do we do?
The editorial research is based on firms’ written editorial submissions, and follow-up research with firms and their referees. The first step is to provide us with a written editorial Law Firm Submission. You can upload that to us via The Legal 500 Portal. You will need to register to use the Portal – apply here. You should also send us a list of Client Referees that we can contact (to request their confidential feedback)
Please refer to the editorial Submission Guidelines for advice on the information we ask for. There should be a separate Law Firm Submission, and Client Referee list, for each practice area for want to be considered for.
Q. Can we use The Legal 500 logo in our marketing?
Yes. We encourage firms and sets to use the recommended logos on their web sites, email signatures and marketing materials.
Click here for guidance, and how to access the logos.
Q. What readership research is there?
Q. How many clients do you survey?
We survey over 300,000 law firm clients each year. We have more research data on law firm clients than any other organisation in the world.
Legalease Research Services provides client satisfaction data reports to many of the world’s leading firms.
Q. How many people use The Legal 500? What are your web stats?
We are the most used global law firm website.
We are also the only one that publishes its web stats. We have some 18.5 million page views per year. We believe this is far more than any competitor or any other comparable legal website. We believe our traffic is 2.3x greater that of the Chambers & Partners website (Source: semrush.com; ahrefs.com; similarweb.com)
Q. Data Protection: is our confidential information safe?
We have been entrusted with confidential information from law firms for 35+ years. The credibility of The Legal 500 is based on the fact that firms can trust us with confidential information – knowing we will take care of it.
All Law Firm Submissions are held in our secure (Sharepoint) internal system (we are Cyber Essentials certified). Our Staff cannot copy, print, or email any Submissions. We have comprehensive data protection policies. You can download our Privacy Policy and our Third Party Information Undertaking here.
Q. Will there be any new practice areas in the upcoming editions?
If there are new/updated practice areas, these will be highlighted when the guidelines are released.
Q. What are panel appointments? What do we insert in that section of the Word template?
In some jurisdictions, major clients will select a ‘panel’ of law firms to act for them. If you are on a ‘panel’ then do please tell us.
If you are not on a ‘panel’, or if your jurisdiction does not have panel appointments, please leave the entire section blank.
Q. Do you interview all firms who provide a Law Firm Submission?
No – we do not undertake to speak to all firms. In practice, our editorial team relies primarily on information from the written Law Firm Submission and from clients contacted via the Client Referee list.
If you feel strongly that you want an interview, then you should (once the submission deadline has passed) email the relevant researcher to request one.
Q. Can we withdraw a Law Firm Submission?
Yes. We will withdraw (and delete) a Law Firm Submission if you ask us to. Please email us using this form.
Q. Can we update a Law Firm Submission?
Yes. But if the submission deadline has passed, then it may be too late for the editorial team to take into account.
Q. If we send you firm and partner profiles, do we also need to send an editorial Law Firm Submission?
Yes. Editorial researchers do not see the profiles provided by firms (the editorial research is independent of the sales process). The editorial team will expect you to supply a Law Firm Submission and a Client Referee list (for each practice area you think you should be recommended in).
Q. Can we include one work highlight in submissions for two or more different practice areas?
Yes. We understand that one piece of work may involve several practice areas. So feel free to include it in the Word document for each of those practice areas.
Q. We have a publishable work highlight, but the client’s name is confidential. What do we do?
Include it as a publishable work highlight, but leave the client’s name blank (empty).
Q. How many work highlights should we include in our Law Firm Submission?
On our Law Firm Submission template (Word) we leave space for you to provide up 20 matters (10 publishable, and 10 confidential/non-publishable). But feel free to add more.
For how to add more space, so you can add more work highlights, follow the instructions in that section of the Word template. But do not add an appendix, a new section, or a separate document; if you do, you will ‘break’ the pre-formatted template, and you will not be able to upload the file to us via The Legal 500 Portal.
We encourage you to supply additional information – the more the better. But if something is confidential then do ensure it is clearly marked as ‘confidential’.
Q. How do we send you a Law Firm Submission?
Log in to The Legal 500 Portal
Select ‘Add a File’
Complete, Step 1 (Country, Practice Area)
At Step 2 (Law Firm Submission) select your Word file
Complete, or skip, Step 3 (Client Referee list)
Complete Step 4 (Submit Files)
You must use the pre-formatted Word template (check here for to understand why). For security reasons, you cannot use your own version of it, or amend it in any way. In particular, do not delete, add, or re-order columns. If you do, your file will not be processed (ie it will not have been successfully submitted) Note: the link is to the page where the Word templates can be found
You can come back and add new Law Firm Submission files, or amended files, at a later date (but please check the dates for submissions deadlines for the edition you are submitting for via the Submissions Information page, to make sure you will not be too late).
For data security reasons, you cannot email your Law Firm Submission to us. Nor can you email a Client Referee list. You must use the The Legal 500 Portal.
Q. Must we use your pre-formatted Word template?
Yes. For data security reasons, you must use our pre-formatted template.
If you don’t, then you will not be able to upload the documents to us via The Legal 500 Portal – and remember that we only accept files via the Portal (we do not accept them via email).
Q. Where can we find the Law Firm submissions templates?
You must use our pre-formatted Word template for your Law Firm submission.
We use different templates for each. You can download the latest version for each edition from:
Asia Pacific; Canada; Caribbean; Deutschland (in English); Deutschland (in German); Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA); Latin America; United Kingdom (Solicitors); United Kingdom (The Bar); United States
(1) Download the Word document; (2) complete it; (3) upload it to us it via The Legal 500 Portal. Our FAQs set out each of these steps.
Q. What is a Law Firm Submission?
Our editorial research and rankings are based, in part, on public information and our knowledge of the market. However, we also rely on Submissions from law firms in which they provide detailed background information about their firm’s strengths (such as: the work the firm has been involved in; areas of expertise; the experience of partners and other staff). Some of that will be strictly confidential. The success of The Legal 500 is based on firms’ knowledge that they can rely on us to keep that confidentiality.
This background information (containing both confidential and non-confidential information) is an important part of our editorial and rankings process.
For data security reasons, and to maintain confidentiality, all Law Firm Submissions must (i) use our pre-formatted Word template, and (ii) be uploaded to us via The Legal 500 Portal.
Q. Data Protection: can we trust you with our clients’ email addresses?
We have been entrusted with confidential information from law firm for 35+ years. The credibility of The Legal 500 is based on the fact that firms can trust us with confidential information – knowing we will take care of it. For example:
- Email addresses are held on a secure server (we are Cyber Essentials certified).
- All email addresses and personal data are deleted 28 days after that edition is published.
- We do not accept Client Referee lists by email (because of security concerns).
- We never sell emails, and not do we ever allow any other organisation to access those email addresses.
We have comprehensive data protection policies. You can download our Privacy Policy and our Third Party Information Undertaking here.
Q. We don’t think all our Client Referees have been emailed by The Legal 500. Will you please check?
Yes, we can check. Please contact us here.
Q. We have uploaded a Client Referee list twice. What should we do?
You do not need to do anything. We will ignore the duplicate (provided both lists are sent to us before the submissions deadline).
Q. We have duplicated some Client Referees. Will you delete those duplicates?
Yes. If a Client Referee appears more than once in a Practice Area Client Referee list, the duplicate entries are automatically deleted. Note: this only applies if the duplicates were sent to us before the submission deadline.
Q. Can we add a name to the Client Referee list we have already sent you?
Yes. You can add one or more referees to your Client Referee list if you email us before the submissions deadline. After that date, it may be too late.
To add one or more referees, prepare a new Client Referee list (using the standard Excel template). Use The Legal 500 Portal to upload that file to us.
Q. Can we remove a name from the Client Referee list we have already sent you?
Yes. You can remove one or more referees from your Client Referee list if you contact us before the submissions deadline. After that date, it may be too late.
To delete one or more referees, please contact us.
Q. How do we send you a Client Referee list?
Log in to The Legal 500 Portal
Select ‘Add a File’
Complete, or skip, Step 1 (Edition, Country, Practice Area)
Complete, or skip, Step 2 (Law Firm Submission)
At Step 3 (Client Referee list: select Excel file to upload), select your Excel file (containing the Client Referees for this Practice Area).
Complete Step 4 (Submit Files)
Note: You can find Help on completing the Excel file here
You must use the pre-formatted Excel template. For security reasons, you cannot use your own version of it, or amend it in any way. In particular, do not delete, add, or re-order columns. If you do, your file will not be processed (ie it will not have been successfully submitted).
To locate our referee spreadsheets, visit our Submissions information page and select the edition you are submitting for.
You can come back and add new or additional Client Referee lists at any time.
Q. How do we put the client details into the Excel spreadsheet?
Follow these steps:
Step 1 – Organise your data: get all your client data together. You will need this information, in this order: Title, First name, Surname, Job title, Company, Industry/Sector, Country, email address
Step 2 – Open the pre-formatted Excel file
Step 3 – Go to Cell B1: delete the text in merged cell ‘B1’ (the cell is coloured pink) and enter the name of your law firm name
Step 4 – Go to D1: use the drop-down list in merged cell ‘D1’ (coloured yellow) to select the country
Step 5– Go to F1: use the drop-down list in merged cell ‘F1’ (coloured green) to select the practice area
Step 6 – Client data: fill in the client details. The order of the columns is as in Step 1, so if you have organised your data in the correct order, you can copy it straight into the spreadsheet
Job done! You can then upload the spreadsheet to us via the Portal.
Q. Must we use your pre-formatted Excel template?
Yes. For data security reasons, you must use our pre-formatted templates.
If you don’t, then you will not be able to upload the documents to us via The Legal 500 Portal – and remember that we only accept files via the Portal (we do not accept them via email).
Q. Where is the Client Referee template?
You must use our pre-formatted Excel Spreadsheet for your Law Firm referee spreadsheet.
You can download the latest version by visiting our Submissions information page, and selecting the edition you are submitting for.
From here, you must (1) Download the Excel spreadsheet; (2) complete it; (3) upload it to us via The Legal 500 Portal. Our FAQs tell you how to do each of these steps.
Q. Will we see our Client Referees’ replies?
No.
The whole basis of the Client Referee system is that it is confidential. Clients must know that their comments are not being fed back to the firm and that their anonymity is preserved.
Q. Can you copy us in on emails sent to our Clients Referees?
No.
The whole basis of the Client Referee system is that it is confidential. Clients must know that their comments are not being fed back to the firm and that their anonymity is preserved.
Q. How many emails will our Client Referees receive?
Only one, plus scheduled reminders.
If an individual is named as a Client Referee by multiple firms, and/or for multiple practice areas, then the one email from us will include multiple links (enabling them to comment on all those firms, and all those practice areas).. This may reduce the chances of getting a response but we do it to avoid client-fatigue (ie clients being sent too many emails), and it is why we always advise firms to use a wide range of Client Referees.
Q. Can we include the same client for multiple practice areas?
Yes.
But be aware of ‘client fatigue’ – which is when one client is asked to give references for multiple practice areas (and may also be asked by other firms). In that situation, a client may not bother to respond, or may give a cursory response. So do consider whether you should be using a wider variety of different clients.
Q. Will we know in advance when our Client Referees will be contacted?
We will email you shortly before we send emails to your Client Referees; typically we try to give 5 days advance notice. This will let you contact them to encourage them to respond to our emails.
Q. Must client referees have been involved in work listed in our Law Firm Submission?
No. You can include any client as a referee, provided the client has worked with the firm in the past 18 months.
Q. How senior should our Client Referees be?
We welcome the full range of Client Referees – senior, junior, and mid-ranking. We especially welcome clients who have direct experience of working with a firm (rather than a more senior person who may have no personal knowledge of how the firm performs).
Q. How many Client Referees should I submit?
As many as possible! A good minimum guideline is at least 20 per practice area.
Firms are encouraged to provide as many referees as possible per team, per practice area. This increases the amount of positive feedback we are likely to receive.
Please ensure that referees have given their consent.
Q. What do you ask Client Referees?
We email Client Referees asking for their opinions on strengths, weaknesses, innovation, individuals, and the general legal market. All comments and feedback from Client Referees is on a confidential, non-attributable basis. A referee may be a client, an introducer or referrer of work, or counsel.
Q. Can someone who hasn’t been a client be a Client Referee?
Yes. We want to hear from anyone who can legitimately comment on the firm’s abilities. For example In-house counsel, Direct access clients, Corporate clients, Barristers (leaders, juniors, opposition), Other/referring law firms and judges.
We want the referee to have worked with the firm in the past 18 months (or be in a position to comment on work done in the past 18 months).
Q. Who can be a referee?
Anyone who can legitimately comment on the firm’s abilities. This may be someone other than a client – for example, In-house counsel, Direct access clients, Corporate clients, Barristers (leaders, juniors, opposition), Other/referring law firms and judges.
We want the referee to have worked with the firm in the past 18 months (or be in a position to comment on work done in the past 18 months).
Q. Can we get an extension to the submission deadline?
If you submit late then it is at your risk – we cannot guarantee that a Law Firm Submission will be considered.
Our deadlines are fixed so our research team can spend as much time as possible in analysing Law Firm Submissions and obtaining as much feedback as possible from Client Referees. If you miss a deadline then our researchers may have done the bulk of their work on a section of the editorial by the time you submit – in which case, you may well be too late.
Law Firm Submissions: whilst we will do what we can to examine late Law Firm Submissions, they may not be reviewed in detail by our research team.
Client Referees: Client Referees lists submitted after the deadline may still be processed, but we cannot guarantee when they will be processed. And bear in mind that client responses may arrive too late to be taken into account by our editorial team. Note that if you submit a Client Referee after the deadline, and that referee has already been named by another law firm, then it will be too late for us to contact that client (if the client has already been emailed, we will not email them again).
It is best to stick to the submission deadlines. If you want to tell us that your Law Firm Submission or Client Referee list will be late then please use this form.
Q. What is our submission deadline?
It depends on which edition of The Legal 500 you are submitting for.
We publish over 10 different editions, and each has its own deadline. Click the link below to find the submission deadline for the edition you want to submit for:
Asia Pacific; Canada; Caribbean; Deutschland (in English); Deutschland (in German); Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA); Latin America; United Kingdom (Solicitors); United Kingdom (The Bar); United States
There is also a Deadlines Calendar which contains all deadlines (for all editions), on a month-by-month basis.