Are lawyers rankings useful and do they show reality?

The best rankings have been doing real market research on the legal sector 

Our partner in Chile and head of International Directories at Gericó Associates, María Sol Rubio, made an analysis of the situation and the advantages of appearing in legal rankings in the TILT Live program, organized by EstadoDiario together with Legaltechies.

During the talk, many questions were asked about the legal rankings, both about their usefulness and whether they can be considered a sample of reality, as well as the possible interest that each of them can arouse in the firms.

Rankings, are they objective?

Our specialist, María Sol Rubio, spoke, through her experience at Chambers and Partners, of the existence of directories that are objective. This becomes essential to present credibility, prestige and a seal of quality, something that is becoming increasingly essential in a globalized world, she reasoned. However, he points out, “we cannot forget that they are a business and they have products, payment profiles and reports”, although this type of product is not offered until it appears in a ranking.

Rubio insists that it is not approved to make payments to be part of or apply for the ranking. Here, objectivity becomes fundamental for them to remain in the market. It cannot be forgotten, he reminds, that they are a tool that continues to be used as a guide for many when hiring lawyers or firms.

What should lawyers/firms consider when applying for lawyer rankings?

For anyone looking to apply, it is important to know that it is a medium to long term process, and that it is not necessary but important in many cases. However, not all lawyers and law firms are prepared and, therefore, it is necessary to take into account a number of key aspects:

• Look at those who are part of our market. That is: our competitors.
• Have a relevant amount of work to report. We must look for areas where we stand out, where we have greater market recognition. The key element is to have a considerable volume of work.

The most common mistakes made when applying are the following:

• Frustration. This is one of the main mistakes. Do not give up the first time if your application is rejected. In many cases, the criteria chosen for selection require more than one presentation.

• A detailed analysis should be made of the maximum number of cases we are allowed to present.

• It is also important to present referrals, since many surveys and interviews are conducted and we must know which clients will be more proactive in answering.

• We should not apply to a greater number of areas or lawyers, but those in which we consider that we can stand out or that we have a considerable volume of work.

How are decisions made?

When applying for the rankings, it should be taken into account that they are subjective; the variables used do not have specific criteria. The only essential is to present the candidacy. Around 80% or 90% of those who appear in the rankings are firms and lawyers who have submitted their candidacy. On very rare occasions, firms or lawyers appear at the request of others, since they are considered worthy of being part of this ranking.

Rubio explains the processes that take place in Chambers for a candidacy to have a chance of being part of these rankings of lawyers. For Chambers, it is essential that there has been more than one good year; that it presents at least two or three years of considerable volume; and recognition among peers and clients. “They consider that it is better to present a certain conservative point to ensure that it has not only been a good year but that it also presents a certain consolidation in the market,” explains the expert and partner in Chile of Gericó Associates. “For this reason, it becomes fundamental to understand that the process will pay off in the medium and long term”, she warns.