Do clients actually care about Chambers rankings when choosing outside counsel?

It depends on the work. Rankings carry the most weight for pitch-driven matters, such as public company deals, restructurings and big-ticket litigation, where in-house teams need to justify their choice. But rankings do double duty: They also signal to lateral candidates that your firm handles the kind of complex work they want.

How long does it take to move up in the Chambers rankings?

Chambers says ranking improvements usually reflect three to five years of consistent excellence, so one standout year won’t do it. Think of rankings as a lagging indicator. If your trajectory has been flat for a few cycles, take that as your cue to revisit your law firm growth strategy along with your submissions strategy. (Don’t just polish next year’s submission.) You can find plenty of advice from legal public relations agencies and specialized directory consultants such as Jaffe PR, Infinite Global and Reputation Ink . (Here's a 2026 tip sheet from Reputation Ink .) Also note that Chambers adds practice areas and categories for rankings all the time, so work with your team to make sure you are in the running for the most appropriate rankings.

Why didn’t our firm get ranked in Chambers, or why did we slip?

Chambers relies heavily on client feedback, so start with your "referees" (external contacts in Chambers lingo). You can name up to 20 clients, in-house counsel or peers for Chambers to interview (confidentially) as part of their evaluation of your rankings submission. Choose wisely, though. If your referees don’t respond, the researchers have little to go on. Let referees know a call is coming and pick people who know your work well. Also, look harder at your client experience (be sure to conduct regular client surveys and interviews ) and reputation management activities.

How can a midsize firm compete with Big Law for associates?

Compete on what the bigger firms often can’t offer: a believable path to partnership. The Chambers research found that associates at elite firms are far less likely to aspire to partnership, and nearly twice as likely to see it as unrealistic. Be transparent about how partnership decisions are made. Give associates meaningful client work early and pair them with strong mentors. For more ideas, see Strategies to Win the Escalating War for Law Firm Talent .

Lisa Hart Shepherd, Contributor at Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers

Lisa Hart Shepherd

Lisa Hart Shepherd is Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Chambers, the leading legal data and intelligence partner for lawyers, firms and in-house teams. She is the author of the Chambers Advantage Index and Chambers Advantage Index UK. Lisa is the former CEO of Acritas. Follow her on LinkedIn here.

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