Your Chambers USA Questions Answered

In the July 14 webinar “How-To Chambers: USA Edition,” Head of USA Research Development Kushraj Cheema and USA Editor Toby Eccleshall came together to address frequently asked questions and offer guidance regarding the submission process, including COVID-19 considerations.

The Pre-Research Process

When it comes to the complex Chambers submissions, questions abound. What is the most important part of the submission? How detailed should work highlights be? Should every individual involved in the matter be included?

Chambers’ advice? Keep it simple and be concise. Work highlights should be well-written, to-the-point, and include only partners and any senior associates who played a key role in the matter. Regarding attorney bios, avoid repeating content elsewhere in your submission or summarizing work highlights. Chambers researchers want to get a sense of where an attorney’s specialties lie without creating a large burden of work; editors now even accept links to bios on firm websites.

The Research Process

Though firms have less control in this phase of the Chambers process, abiding by a few best practices can help research run smoothly and ultimately strengthen your firm’s submission.

Cheema and Eccleshall emphasized that a referee’s level of insight is much more important than his or her title. Therefore, when selecting referees, consider who has the most in-depth knowledge and can provide the best assessment of your firm’s work – it may not always be the highest-level executive. Prioritize clients over non-clients; however, if necessary, it is acceptable to supplement your submission with non-clients who can speak to your firm’s success. To encourage referees to respond, be sure to inform them of their referral beforehand so they are prepared to hear from the Chambers researchers.

Ever wanted to be a fly on the wall during a Chambers researcher’s conversation with one of your referees? Cheema and Eccleshall offered an inside look into these interviews. The researchers let the conversation flow openly but take care to touch on a few key points, including the nature of the referee’s relationship with the firm, the work the firm has done for them and their view on client service.

New in 2021

Chambers has implemented a few changes for the 2021 season, including more focused rankings and further expansion, including 19 new areas for submissions. Chambers also opened a new office in New York, which will serve as a conduit between the U.S. and the organization’s London team.

Also new in the upcoming year is the request for Diversity and Inclusion statistics in the submission template. While disclosures and participation are voluntary and do not affect ranking decisions, Chambers is making greater efforts to include diverse referees, interviewees and staff.

Chambers’ Response to COVID-19

Like all of us, Chambers is still figuring out its next steps in regard to COVID-19. In the meantime, the webinar hosts explained that the organization intends to approach the 2021 season with flexibility, pragmatism and consistent communication. COVID-19 will be an underlying factor in all decisions, and researchers will take the pandemic into consideration as they assess submissions. While Chambers is firm that it does not grant deadline extensions, there is no penalty for submitting late, and the editorial team will do its best to evaluate late submissions in light of the current circumstances.

Poston Content’s team has prepared successful submissions for international, national and mid-market firms in a variety of practice areas and is already busy preparing Chambers submissions for the 2021 guide. For more information on our process and other resources related to Chambers, please visit our Chambers Law Firm Rankings page.