Chambers USA 2026 deadlines and new practice areas

The Chambers USA 2026 research deadlines are now live. If you’re thinking of preparing a submission, there’s a lot to take in.

This year, Chambers has made a significant investment in expanding its USA research team. That means more jurisdictions, new practice areas, and deeper coverage across key markets. It also means there’s a number of new opportunities for US-based firms for increased recognition and ranking.

New practice areas for Chambers USA 2026

• Accountant and Auditor Liability: Nationwide
  
• Bankruptcy Litigation: New York
  
• Capital Markets: Debt & Equity: Colorado, Illinois
  
• Construction: Nevada
  
• Energy & Natural Resources: Kansas, Kentucky
  
• Government Contracts: M&A: Nationwide
  
• Immigration: Connecticut, Missouri, New York: Upstate
  
• Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial: California
  
• Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation: California
  
• Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
  
• Litigation: Medical Malpractice – Defense: Michigan, Washington
  
• Litigation: Product Liability: Georgia, Illinois, Missouri
  
• Real Estate: Litigation: Florida
  
• Water Law: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas

Submission dates begin 10 July 2025, with the final deadline on 11 December 2025. The full list is as follows:

• 10th July 2025
• 7th August 2025
• 4th September 2025 
• 9th October 2025
• 13th November 2025
• 11th December 2025

To help you stay on track with deadlines and practice areas, we’ve created a simple, downloadable guide.

Is one of these new practice areas is on your radar? Or maybe you’re not seeing the rankings you’d hoped for? Maybe you\’re just struggling to find the time to do your directory submissions justice – after all, client work has to be the priority.

We can help with preparing a submission that really hits home with the research team.

At ELE, our team has been working on legal directory submissions for over two decades, both in-house, and as part of the Chambers and Legal 500 teams. Our directories and rankings audit is a practical, data and insight-led review of your current approach. No fluff, no marketing jargon, just clear guidance on what’s working, what’s not, and where there’s room to improve.