Methodology

We appreciate the complexities being caused by COVID-19 and are working closely with firms and referees during these unprecedented times. We are also sensitive to the issues that many firms and businesses are facing and will continue to be flexible wherever possible. For that reason we have extended the deadline for submissions for the USA (23rd July) and Europe (17th June) guides. You can find more information here.

Clients and firms across many practice areas and geographies have trusted Chambers' research for nearly 30 years. To find out more about Chambers, watch our video here.

Independent research into the top law firms worldwide

• - Our independent research collects information about:
• - Organisations
• - Individuals
• - The marketplace

The London-based team, 200+ researchers, conducts thousands of interviews in 20+ languages.

Chambers collects the information by phone and email interviews.

All managed by a cohesive team of editors with:

• - In-depth knowledge of the marketplace
• - Research experience

Chambers rankings for small law firms

Chambers identifies the best law firms globally, whether they are multi-national or boutique.

We have evolved our process to accommodate as many top small and boutique firms for ranking consideration as possible.

To ensure that our interviews reflect client feedback, we do allow all firms to provide us with submissions.

 

What does Chambers assess when researching leading law firms?

Technical Legal Ability: expertise and experience specific to the practice area and jurisdiction

Client service:

• - Speed
• - Responsiveness
• - Clear business language
• - Decisive opinions

Commercial vision and business understanding:

• - Awareness of the importance of these matters to a client’s business
• - Understanding of the future direction of their industry

 
Diligence:

• - Rigorous attention to detail
• - Standards of professional conduct
• - Service levels and support the growth strategies of their clients

 
Value for Money:

• - Efficient staffing
• - Organisation and innovation to save clients time and money

 
Depth of team: ensuring strong support at all levels

 

Professional conduct

 

Law Firms

We rank lawyers and law firms on several factors and considerations, all of which are investigated by our research team. They are employed full-time in our central London office and work throughout the year contacting lawyers and clients direct by telephone and email. 

A law firm ranking relates to a department of the firm, not to the firm as a whole.

Where a firm has several departments specialising in different areas of law, we may rank some departments and not others. A ranking will only apply to a law firm as a whole where the firm specialises in just one practice area.

Individual Lawyers

Individual lawyers are ranked in their practice-area(s) on the basis of their legal knowledge and experience, their ability, their effectiveness and their client-service.

Departments

Law-firm departments are ranked on the qualities of their lawyers as above. In addition, we consider the effectiveness and capability of the department as a whole - its strength and depth. Please note that an individual lawyer can be ranked while their law firm is not.

Methods

These factors and considerations are judged by:

(a) interviews with those active in the market - mainly clients and other lawyers with whom they work

(b) assessing recent work done

Researchers, deputy editors and editors conduct internal meetings to analyse the research conducted and compile and finalise the ranking tables.

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