There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing a talented lawyer overlooked in the legal directories. They’ve got the track record. The client following. The heavyweight matters and cases. The respect of their peers. And yet, year after year, they’re passed over by Chambers & Partners or Legal 500.
So what gives?
We’ve seen this happen across the profession here at ELE. From seasoned silks to rising stars, confused because they’re not receiving the ranking they deserve.
The good news is that there’s usually a clear reason behind it, and (most of the time) it’s fixable.
Here are three of the most common reasons why outstanding individuals don’t make the cut, and what to do differently if you want that ranking next year.
1. Your role in your casework isn’t coming through clearly
Directory submissions rely heavily on the matters you’ve worked on and how you present them to the researchers. If the work doesn’t jump off the page, the person doesn’t get ranked, no matter how respected they are in real life.
We often see submissions that list work in vague or generic terms. Along the lines of “advised on a complex contractual dispute” or “acted for a global financial institution”. Without clear detail, context or significance, researchers can’t tell why this matters or how your work on it stacks up against competing individuals.
How to fix it:
- Choose standout examples that showcase your skill, judgment or sector expertise.
- Include enough facts to help the researcher understand what made the matter important or difficult.
- Don’t just list things, tell a story. That might mean explaining the stakes, the impact, the parties involved or the unusual legal issue at play.
- Keep it client-friendly. Write in clear, plain English, not internal shorthand or legalese.
If you’re not sure whether a matter reads well, imagine reading it aloud to a non-lawyer colleague. If the chances are they wouldn’t get why it was impressive, it probably needs a rewrite.
2. Referee management is letting you down
You can have the best practice in the world, but if no one is answering the phone (or email) when the researcher contacts them, you won’t get very far.
Referees are the secret sauce of most directory rankings. The legal directories place huge weight on what clients and peers say about you. Referee feedback can tip the balance, especially in a close-run race between similarly strong teams.
But not all referees are created equal. Some don’t respond. Some give bland or unhelpful comments. Some talk about the firm instead of you.
How to fix it:
- Pick referees who know your work and are likely to engage, especially in-house lawyers, regular clients or co-counsel who rate you highly.
- Give them a heads-up. A short, polite note to explain what’s happening and when can make all the difference.
- Spread your referees strategically across the team and the categories you’re targeting. No point having all 20 people naming the same three individuals.
We’ve got a whole post on how to choose and manage referees here if you want to take a deeper dive into this.
3. You’re in the wrong category (or competing against the wrong crowd)
Legal directories are all about categories, and being in the wrong one can seriously limit your ranking chances. We’ve seen this happen time and time again… a highly rated lawyer doing niche work in an overcrowded or mismatched category, where their brilliance doesn’t quite “fit” the rubric researchers are using to assess.
Or worse, someone spread across too many areas with no clear anchor. That can seriously dilute a submission’s impact and make it harder for the researcher to pin down what you’re known for.
How to fix it:
- Choose categories that match your actual work, not just where you wish to be known.
- Look at the rankings. Are the individuals listed doing the same kind of work? If not, it might not be the right fit.
- Focus. Don’t try to cover every base. It’s better to be a standout in one or two categories than a footnote in five.
- Consider the regional picture too. Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 often offer national and local routes in. A regional submission might actually give you a better shot.
Strategic category choice is one of the biggest levers you can pull. (We wrote a blog on that too:)
Bonus reason: You’re just not visible enough
Directories don’t operate in a vacuum. If you’re flying under the radar, not speaking at events, not being quoted, not showing up on people’s mental maps, this could mean you’re harder to rank.
Researchers do independent desk research. They check websites, read press releases, and Google people. And now, they also talk to Chat GIf your name’s not popping up where they expect it to, that could affect how “prominent” you’re perceived to be, especially if there’s not much referee or submission evidence to counterbalance that.
How to fix it:
- Get your website bio in shape. Make sure it reflects what you actually do and is relevant to the categories you’re targeting.
- Communicate your wins (confidentiality permitting). Announcements, awards, interviews – they all help build visibility.
- Work with your BD and marketing departments to make sure you’re being seen in the right places. Especially during directory season.
It’s not about self-promotion for its own sake. It’s about building credibility and recognition so that your directories evidence is supported by the bigger picture.
Final thoughts…
Legal directories aren’t awards for legal brilliance in isolation. They’re curated rankings based on evidence, research and perception. If any of those three are missing, even the most exceptional lawyer or barrister can fall through the cracks.
That’s why strong directory submissions need to be more than just a list of cases. They need to be clear, strategic and credible. They also need to be backed by good referees, smart category targeting and a bit of well-placed visibility.
If you’re struggling to get someone ranked (or wondering why that brilliant lawyer never seems to get a mention) take a step back and audit what’s actually being put in front of the researcher. The answer’s probably hiding in plain sight.
Need help figuring it all out?
That’s exactly where we can help. Whether it’s auditing your current rankings and submissions, finding the right category strategy or building a tailored plan to raise individual profiles, we help firms and chambers get the rankings they deserve.
Get in touch if you’d like to chat.
