Getting the best of directory submissions and how to work with your BD team
Thursday 16 January 2025
Lachezara Manolova
Kambourov & Partners, Barcelona
Directory submissions often feel like an administrative burden to be ticked off the list and moved on from, but they’re actually one of the most valuable tools for building credibility and strengthening your firm’s market position. Done well, they lead to more than just rankings. They highlight your expertise, enhance your reputation and, ultimately, attract new clients.
However, the process can be frustrating and time-consuming, often requiring the collective effort of multiple departments. The key is not just putting in the hours but working smarter: maximising collaboration with your business development (BD) team, gathering meaningful data throughout the year and aligning submissions with your firm’s broader goals.
In this article, we’ll explore practical ways to streamline directory submissions, make collaboration more effective and ensure that your firm presents the strongest case possible.
Understanding the importance of directory submissions
Directory submissions are pivotal in positioning your firm as a leader in your practice areas and jurisdictions. Rankings in directories like Chambers, Legal 500 and International Financial Law Review (IFLR) are more than just about bragging rights – they act as powerful endorsements that potential clients and referral sources rely on when making decisions.
Key benefits include:
Credibility boost: in an age where potential clients are bombarded with choices, a high ranking provides instant credibility. It serves as an external vote of confidence that can tip the balance in your favour during their decision-making process.
Showcasing expertise: directories offer an excellent platform to highlight your firm’s strengths and unique selling points. A well-crafted submission positions you as a thought leader in niche practice areas or emerging fields of law.
Attracting and retaining clients: rankings are not just about attracting new clients, they also reassure existing ones. Clients take pride in working with highly ranked firms, and a strong directory presence can help cement long-term relationships.
These benefits are not just external facing; it’s vital to communicate them internally to align everyone with the value of directory submissions. A great way to do this is by sharing tangible results, such as client referrals or new business inquiries that have come directly from directory exposure. Once everyone grasps the direct business impact of rankings, the entire firm can rally behind the submission process and it can become a firm-wide priority.
Achieving these results isn’t down to luck. It requires a strategic, firm-wide approach that begins well before the submission deadline looms.
Research and preparation: laying the groundwork
Successful directory submissions don’t happen overnight. They require careful preparation throughout the year, which not only reduces stress during submission time but also leads to stronger, more compelling submissions. Here's how to set the stage for success:
Selecting the right directories
Not all directories are created equal, and not all are equally relevant to your firm. Focus on the directories that matter most to your jurisdiction and practice areas so that your efforts are concentrated where they’ll have the most impact.
Understanding submission criteria
A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. You need to tailor your submissions to each directory’s specific criteria and preferences. Pay special attention to how practice areas are defined (especially sector-focused ones such as technology, media and telecommunications (TMT)), as these can vary between directories. Adapting your submission accordingly is key.
Beyond the published guidelines, speaking directly with researchers and editors often reveals valuable insights into what each directory truly values, giving you a competitive edge.
Competitive analysis
Understanding where your firm stands in relation to competitors is vital. Analyse their rankings, the matters they highlight and the clients they showcase. This isn’t about copying their approach, but about identifying potential shortcomings in yours, as well as gaps and opportunities to differentiate your firm.
Year-round data collection
Gone are the days of scrambling for information a week before the deadline. You need a system for continuous data collection throughout the year. It doesn’t have to be something complex or costly. It could be a simple internal platform where lawyers can log significant matters, client wins and other achievements as they happen. This ensures that nothing important is missed and reduces the stress when submission time arrives.
Working seamlessly with your BD team
The real magic happens when lawyers and BD professionals work in harmony. Here's how to cultivate this crucial relationship:
Structuring effective meetings
Regular lawyer-BD meetings are essential, but they should be more than mere status updates. Structure them as strategic sessions, where the focus isn’t just on what's been done, but on how to position the work for maximum impact. BD teams are skilled at crafting submissions that resonate with researchers, understanding what information is compelling and aligning your firm’s strengths with broader market positioning. For example, a deal in the energy sector could be framed as part of the firm’s role in a country’s energy transition, rather than just a transaction.
Creating a knowledge base
A ‘submissions playbook’ can save time and improve the quality of submissions across the firm. This could be a repository of best practices, successful examples and key insights from researchers. Such a resource ensures consistency and serves as a valuable training tool for junior lawyers and new BD team members.
Integrating BD into matter management
Rather than bringing BD in as an afterthought, involve them from the outset of significant matters. This could include attending key client meetings (with client approval) or being copied on major correspondence. This real-time involvement allows the BD team to gain a deeper understanding of the work, enabling them to craft more compelling narratives for submissions.
Selecting client referees
Client referees play a critical role, yet their selection often doesn’t receive the attention it deserves. Working closely with BD ensures a more careful selection process, incorporating a mix of longstanding and new clients. BD professionals can prepare referees for feedback requests and maintain relationships with them year-round, ensuring strong future collaboration.
Aligning with firm-wide branding
Your BD team can serve as valuable brand ambassadors during the submission process. Collaborate with them to ensure that each submission consistently reflects your firm's broader brand and values. BD professionals, with their overarching view of the firm’s positioning, can help lawyers frame their work in a way that aligns with and reinforces your firm’s key messages.
For instance, if your firm emphasises a tech-forward approach as a key differentiator, your BD team can guide lawyers in highlighting relevant technological aspects of their work across all practice areas. This consistent reinforcement of brand values across submissions helps create a cohesive and strong market presence.
Collaboration across departments: the bigger picture
While the lawyers and BD team are at the core of the submission process, input from other departments can add significant value. The key is to involve them strategically, making use of their insights without creating extra bureaucracy or workload.
Drawing on the expertise of finance, HR and IT
Departments such as finance, human resources (HR) and IT hold a wealth of data that can enhance your submissions and provide evidence of your firm’s market strength:
- the finance team can offer key metrics such as revenue growth, client retention rates and sector-specific performance;
- HR can contribute with information on diversity initiatives, training programmes and key hires; and
- IT can highlight technological advancements that improve client service like innovations in case management systems, client portals or cybersecurity measures.
Showcasing firm-wide initiatives
Directories are increasingly looking beyond individual practice areas at a firm’s overall culture and approach. Make sure you highlight firm-wide initiatives that demonstrate your values, such as pro bono work or ESG commitments. These initiatives differentiate your firm from competitors and showcase the value you provide beyond legal expertise.
For instance, if your firm has implemented a significant sustainability initiative, work with your corporate social responsibility team to quantify its impact. This could include metrics on reduced carbon footprint, community engagement hours or the number of pro bono cases taken on related to environmental issues.
Collaboration challenges
Cross-department collaboration offers great potential but can also present challenges. Common hurdles include conflicting priorities, communication gaps and siloed data. To overcome these issues, rely on existing communication platforms or shared project management tools to ensure transparency and alignment on deadlines and objectives, while avoiding unnecessary complexity.
The goal is to foster a firm-wide mindset where directory submissions are seen as a shared priority, not just a task for the BD or marketing teams. Focus on efficient, integrated processes to maximise the contributions of various departments without creating unnecessary meetings or additional tasks.
Crafting the submission: balancing storytelling with facts
The art of creating impactful submissions lies in balancing factual information and engaging storytelling.
Narrative techniques that resonate
An effective submission is more than a list of achievements. It’s a narrative that explains why your firm deserves recognition. With researchers sifting through numerous submissions daily, you need to make yours stand out. You can achieve this by framing your work within the context of broader industry trends or economic developments to make it memorable.
For example, when highlighting case wins, explain their significance, the innovative strategies employed and their impact on clients or the wider market. If a deal involved a groundbreaking transaction structure or spanned multiple jurisdictions, make that clear. Highlight how a series of tech M&As, for instance, reflects your jurisdiction’s rise as a tech hub, or how your work helped a client enter a new market.
Blending expertise with readability
Showcasing technical expertise is essential, but don’t let legal jargon obscure the real value of your work. Prioritise clarity by explaining complex legal concepts in accessible terms. This not only ensures understanding but demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively with a broad audience – a key skill in any legal setting.
Subtle selling without overt marketing
Directory researchers value objectivity over marketing talk, so avoid making exaggerated claims. Instead, let your work speak for itself. Be specific and avoid vague, boastful language. Back up your claims with data and hard evidence, and provide concrete examples – whether it’s deal values, precedent-setting judgments or innovative legal structures. For example, instead of stating that your firm is a ‘leader in the energy sector’, specify that you advised on 70 per cent of your country’s renewable energy projects last year.
Leveraging general information sections
Sections such as department/practice information, innovations and other similar areas offer the perfect opportunity to highlight your firm's unique strengths. Use them to present evidence gathered throughout the year, such as statistics on market share, value-added services, ESG commitments or technological innovations in your practice.
For example, you could highlight a proprietary client portal that enhances transparency and efficiency. Or detail how your pro bono work has impacted local communities, perhaps by quantifying the number of individuals assisted or the monetary value of services provided.
Up-to-date lawyer profiles
Showcase your lawyers’ expertise and accomplishments with regularly updated profiles. Avoid reusing last year’s submission. Instead, keep bios current with recent speaking engagements, publications, significant case outcomes and industry accolades. This helps with individual lawyer rankings, while also strengthening the overall perception of your team.
Quality control
A thorough review process is essential to ensure the quality and effectiveness of your submission.
Thorough review
Conduct a comprehensive review of your submission to ensure accuracy, completeness and compliance with directory guidelines. You can implement a multi-stage review process, incorporating input from lawyers, the BD team and a final check by a managing partner. This ensures that every detail is scrutinised and that the submission aligns with your strategic goals and messaging.
Example review process:
Initial draft by BD team
Review by practice group leaders for accuracy and completeness
Cross-check by finance team for deal values and financial information
Editorial review for consistency in tone and messaging
Final approval by head of practice or designated partner
AI-assisted improvements
Leverage artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance the quality of your submissions. AI can assist with proofreading, identifying inconsistencies and suggesting enhancements to improve the narrative flow for a polished final product.
Beyond basic editing, AI is great for crafting compelling narratives. It can suggest ways to highlight your strengths and expertise more effectively, helping you write concise attorney bios and department descriptions.
Additionally, it can analyse submission guidelines and flag areas where your content may not fully align, increasing your chances of prominent feature.
While AI is a powerful tool that can significantly streamline and enhance the submission process, always follow up with human review to maintain nuance and context.
Follow-up: stay engaged post-submission
Sending the submission doesn’t mean the work is over. Effective follow-up can significantly impact your rankings.
Monitor client feedback
Following up on client feedback requests is key, as it can significantly influence your ranking. Actively monitor the feedback process and ensure that clients respond to requests. It's a good idea to implement a tracking system and send polite reminders to clients, emphasising the importance of their input. While some directories offer referee management tools, handling this internally can also be effective.
Make sure referees are informed when feedback requests are sent and brief them on your key work without coaching their responses.
Engage with researchers
Keep open lines of communication with directory researchers and editors. Be proactive in offering additional information or clarification, and keep them updated on any significant developments, even outside of the submission cycle. Whether it’s a landmark case win, a new partner hire or a service innovation, timely updates help keep your firm on researchers’ radars. These interactions are also valuable for building relationships and showcasing your expertise.
Interview preparation
Work closely with your BD team to prepare lawyers for directory interviews. You can conduct mock interviews and prepare briefing documents to ensure that your lawyers are ready to discuss not only individual matters but also provide insights on broader market trends and challenges.
Client appreciation
Show your appreciation to clients who provide feedback with personalised gestures, such as handwritten notes. This strengthens relationships and encourages future participation in the process. And don’t forget to acknowledge them in those LinkedIn posts announcing your rankings.
Post-publication: leveraging results and handling outcomes
Once rankings are published, it’s time to maximise their impact and learn from the results, regardless of the outcome.
Strategic promotion of favourable rankings
Rather than using rankings solely as a moment for self-congratulation, incorporate them into your broader marketing strategy. Share your achievements on your website, social media and in client newsletters, always framing them as a testament to the trust and hard work of your clients and team. For instance, a message like ‘Grateful to our clients and dedicated team for helping us secure a top ranking in energy law’ balances recognition with humility.
Handling less favourable rankings
If the results are not as positive as hoped, approach the situation constructively. Remember that rankings fluctuate and one less favourable result doesn’t define your firm. Use it as motivation to improve and showcase your strengths more effectively in the future.
If clients or internal stakeholders inquire about the ranking, be honest about the result while emphasising your commitment to continuous improvement and the steps you're taking to enhance your position.
Analysing feedback and results
Whether rankings are favourable or less than ideal, it’s crucial to seek and analyse feedback. Researchers often provide valuable insights on what worked well and areas for improvement. Don't hesitate to reach out post-publication to obtain this information, as it can help you refine future submissions and strengthen your firm’s positioning.
Analyse your submission against the feedback received to identify any gaps or weaknesses in your approach. Then create a strategy to address the identified issues. This might involve focusing on certain practice areas, improving client communication or enhancing your firm's market visibility.
If your budget allows, you can explore paid tools that provide analytics and benchmarking data. These can help you understand how your firm is performing relative to competitors and highlight trends in the legal market that may influence your future submissions.
Continuous improvement
Each submission cycle is a learning opportunity and a chance to refine your approach. Use the insights gained throughout the process to enhance future submissions and firm-wide strategies. Here are some specific steps for long-term improvement:
Annual review and strategy session: conduct a thorough evaluation of the entire submission process, from preparation to post-publication. Identify what worked well and develop strategies for the coming year.
Trend forecasting: stay ahead of the curve by analysing emerging legal trends and market shifts. Anticipate how these might influence future directory criteria and adjust your focus accordingly.
Skills development: invest in training for your BD team and lawyers on effective submission writing, interviewing skills and understanding directory methodologies.
Technology adoption: continually assess and adopt new tools that can streamline your data collection, submission preparation and analysis processes.
Internal communications: regularly share success stories and lessons learned from the directory process to maintain firm-wide engagement and support.
Conclusion
Directory submissions are far more than a routine task. They’re integral to building and maintaining your firm’s market presence and require a strategic, firm-wide approach that extends far beyond the submission deadline. The key is to foster collaboration between lawyers, BD teams and other departments, keep year-round preparation and craft compelling narratives. This approach will help you create successful submissions that achieve high rankings and drive tangible results – from attracting new clients to deepening relationships with existing ones.
Shifting the perspective and viewing directory submissions not as an annual chore, but as an ongoing opportunity to refine and showcase your firm’s unique strengths requires a collective effort, but the payoff – in reputation and business development – is well worth it.