Law Firm Directories, Awards and Rankings in Canada and USA
We help smart lawyers win the right awards.
Our clients get inundated with unsolicited invitations from publishers dangling the possibility of an award or notable ranking. We get it. No one wants to miss out on getting the recognition you deserve. From increasing your profile to boosting your confidence and enhancing name recognition, there are benefits to participating in ranking publications and awards.
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of legal and business ranking publications and awards, though – and, putting it politely, not all are created equal. It is important to vet any directory request or publisher before participating. Some require “pay to play” while others have a sophisticated methodology requiring time and effort to produce detailed submissions. We have seen many lawyers waste precious time and money pursuing too many options.
The content below will be updated regularly, however it is strongly advised to check a publisher’s website for details to ensure you don’t miss a deadline.
Here is an overview of the better-known rankings that may be worth consideration:
Chambers Canada
• One of the leading ranking publications in the global legal industry.
• Annual Canada region rankings to be announced at the end of summer/early fall.
• The 2023 Chambers Canada edition will commence its annual process in the later fall. Comprehensive written submissions and references required.
• Deadlines are expected in January-February 2022 (depending on the practice area); deadlines to be confirmed).
• No cost to participate in research process or to be ranked.
• Submissions are analyzed to assess recent work done and compare peer to peer.
• Ranking methodology is comprehensive, involving confidential interviews (not for attribution) with selected applicants (private practice and in-house lawyers, clients and other reference sources). Interview findings used to assess client satisfaction and reputation in the market.
• Interviews are not guaranteed due to volume of applicants and time constraints.
Chambers USA
• Chambers USA includes ranking tables for all 50 states. Most practice areas are assessed at a state-wide level, although there are some regional rankings such as California and New York.
• The submission and reference requirements are the same as Chambers Canada.
• Chambers USA has completed research for their 2021 edition and rankings will be announced in May.
• For clients hoping to be ranked in Chambers USA, the lead time for applications is not as far in advance. Deadlines depend on the practice area and state. Some deadlines are as soon as July and others are as late as early November.
Benchmark Litigation Canada
• The only Canadian legal ranking publication that focuses exclusively on dispute resolution and litigation with a focus on “elite status” lawyers. Unlike some ranking publications, Benchmark focuses on quality of the practice rather than size of the firm.
• Similar comprehensive submissions process to Chambers.
• Research for the next edition will commence in fall 2021. Submissions and references due in early December. Exact deadlines not available yet but will be posted here soon.
• They conduct their interviews concurrently with receiving submissions and references until end of December. Rankings are finalized by late January.
• Results expected to be published in March or April 2022.
Benchmark Litigation USA
• Benchmark Litigation USA just completed their annual submission process. They are currently conducting their research and interviews.
• Rankings and editorial to be published in October 2021.
• The next edition submission forms will be available early next year. Deadlines anticipated for April 2022.
• They use similar submission documents as Benchmark Canada.
Legal500 Canada
• Gaining ground as a credible publication – with comparable application and research processes to Benchmark and Chambers.
• Annual deadline for 2023 Canada edition is 24 June 2022.
Legal500 USA
www.legal500.com/united-states
• Legal500 USA will be publishing their annual results in June 2021.
• Expect submissions and references to be due in November (date to be confirmed). Interviews to be conducted from December 2021 through February 2022. Results expected in June 2022.
Canadian Lawyer’s Top 25 Most Influential List
https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/surveys-reports/top-25-most-influential-lawyers
• Deadline for 2021 list just passed on 26 April 2021. Results to be announced in September.
• Categorizes by top five lawyers in the following areas:
• Human Rights
• Advocacy & Criminal
• Business
• In-house
• Changemakers
• Governments, Non-Profits and Associations
Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
• Comprehensive annual surveys by practice areas. Lawyers named on the Lexpert Survey have been recommended by their law firm leaders – acknowledged as leaders in their respective fields, practice areas and professional organizations.
• Lexpert reviews the nominations, conducts research and in its sole discretion determines whether a name is added to the Survey.
• Write-in nominations are permitted (although not self-nominations); lawyers receiving a certain number of write-ins may be added to the nomination list.
• Lawyers who do not receive the minimum number of votes are removed from the following year’s Survey.
• The Survey is sent to all law firm lawyers to vote, in addition to selected in-house counsel.
• Three levels of ranking: Most Frequently Recommended, Consistently Recommended and Repeatedly Recommended.
• Lexpert is emphatic that there is separation between editorial (including surveys and rankings) and advertising. Ranked lawyers’ names are published at no charge.
• 2021 results have just been published.
Martindale Hubbell
• Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rankings™ recognize lawyers for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards. Use “CV®, BV®, AV® ranking system with AV® being the preeminent ranking.
• Oldest ranking publication (since 1896) and marketed as the “gold standard” in lawyer rankings – although arguably surpassed by several of their competitors.
• Formerly peer review only but now has client review ratings.
• No application process but lawyers must have a Martindale-Hubbell account to be considered.
• Research conducted via their database of lawyers and clients.
• Free basic listing but publishing additional information can be pricey. Competitors tend to be less expensive.
• They monitor and exercise control over the use of the Martindale-Hubbell certification marks and icons. They will correct any uses that are not permitted.
IFLR1000 Canada
www.iflr1000.com/Jurisdiction/Canada
• IFLR only started ranking Canadian financial and corporate law firms in 2020.
• Comparable submission process to Chambers, Benchmark Litigation and Legal500.
• Annual deadline in February with results to be announced in July.
• Next round of deadlines still to be published and will be posted here. Stay tuned.
Acritas Stars
www.acritas.com/introducing-acritas-stars
• Owned by Thomson Reuters, the Acritas database is comprised of names provided by senior in-house counsel in large organizations around the world.
• The publication prides itself on being “entirely free from law firm influence” (there is no pay-to-play).
• Acritas interviews on an ongoing basis in their global Sharplegal study.
• There is no application process.
• Lawyers who respond to surveys can receive exclusive reports and invitations to webinars and events. Law firms can purchase full research findings and benchmark reports.
Submitting applications and references and/or participating in the research process does not guarantee rankings. It may not even guarantee an interview.
Choose wisely or call us to discuss. We can help.
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