Cinco Días has published the article Chambers Europe 2027: law firms already competing for a ‘Michelin star’ of the legal sector, in which our partner María Sol Rubio analyses the forthcoming submission cycle of this leading international legal directory.

Although 2026 has only just begun, law firms’ agendas are already running a year ahead. The objective is Chambers Europe 2027, one of the most influential directories in the legal market and a genuine barometer of legal prestige. Despite the fact that the results of this year’s edition have not yet been released –publication is scheduled for 19 March–, firms have already set their internal processes in motion to compete for a ranking band in the next edition, widely regarded as the legal profession’s equivalent of a Michelin star.

What are the main developments in the Chambers Europe 2027 cycle compared with previous editions?

The most significant development for Spain is that firms will now be able to submit up to 30 referees across all practice areas. This will create greater opportunities to position individual lawyers within the rankings, for example.

In addition, several practice-area changes have been introduced. Project Finance will now appear as a standalone table, while a new category -Banking & Finance: Borrowers- has been added. Finally, the Tax practice area will be subdivided into “Elite” and “Highly Regarded” rankings. The “Elite” category will generally include firms advising on large, high-value (“big-ticket”) matters, whereas “Highly Regarded” will typically recognise firms advising the mid-market.

How are law firms preparing for the Chambers 2027 process?

In most firms, preparation begins as early as January with comprehensive strategic planning of submissions, anticipating that the first deadlines commence on 22 April, with some extending into early September.

Early preparation primarily involves clearly defining which practice areas will be submitted and assessing whether participation in the new categories is strategically justified. The objective is not to submit across all areas, but to prioritise based on market positioning, workflow volume, and genuine competitive strength.

Internally, teams typically establish objectives by practice area  -target band rankings, individual lawyer visibility, and strategic areas for reinforcement- while aligning partners and teams around these goals. Firms also plan the management of referees well in advance, particularly now that up to 30 may be submitted per practice area in Spain, identifying clients capable of providing credible and substantive testimonials.

Finally, many firms are increasingly professionalising the process: improving coordination in the collection of work highlights, implementing internal timelines, and assigning clear practice-area responsibility to avoid last-minute submissions.

Is there an increase in the number of firms and teams seeking to gain or improve their ranking band? Is competition greater than in previous cycles?

Yes. Interest grows each year, and competition is clearly more intense. Spain is one of the jurisdictions generating the highest number of submissions and referee responses in Chambers, a fact highlighted by the directory itself during its launch webinars.

Moreover, the gradual expansion of practice areas and the introduction of fully developed guides in jurisdictions such as Germany and France demonstrate a broader trend towards increased specialisation and granularity. This evolution has transformed Chambers into an increasingly strategic business development tool  -not merely a reputational benchmark- thereby raising the competitive threshold.

It is reasonable to expect that in the coming years we will see greater hyper-specialisation and even new regional categories within Spain, which will likely intensify competition among firms even further.

What recommendations would you give to a law firm seeking to stand out in international legal directories?

Some key recommendations I frequently make include:

1. Strategic, not tactical, planning: Define in advance what the firm aims to achieve  -target band, priority practices, and individual visibility- and align the entire submission strategy accordingly. Avoid submitting by inertia or simply “to maintain presence”.
2. Alignment between editorial submission and referees: The narrative of the submission must correspond with the matters and clients presented. Strong written submissions rarely improve rankings without strong referees.
3. Consistency over time: Chambers is a cumulative process. Many ranking improvements require two or three consecutive submission cycles; abandoning a strategy following a single disappointing result often delays long-term positioning.
4. Active follow-up: Ensure referees respond to Chambers’ outreach and, where appropriate, clearly explain the experience or matters they are expected to comment on.

You can read the full article in Cinco Días, here.