Europe Guide 2026 – Submission Process for Benelux, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein

With the first submission deadlines for our Europe Guide 2026 approaching quickly, signalling the start of our research into several practice areas across Benelux, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, this article will hopefully answer any questions you may have as you prepare your documents, whether this be how many referees to include or how many submissions to upload.

The deadlines for our Europe Guide 2026 research can be found on our research schedule page and we have also published an article on key updates for the upcoming cycle.

As in previous years, template documents can be found on our website and can be uploaded via the My Account page. If you need help with your login details, please email [email protected].

For information on what types of work to include in each submission, please refer to our practice area definitions.

If you have any further questions regarding our research into Benelux, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, please feel free to contact Christian Clare at [email protected].

For the following practice areas (Arbitration, Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A and Litigation), please note that you can provide up to 30 referees in these areas. In the 2026 cycle, we have decided to remove the cap of 5 referees per lawyer. If a practice area has a subsection, i.e. Arbitration and Arbitrators, please do not upload the same referee list twice. You should either upload one referee list with the 30 referees for all of a practice area’s subsections, or separate referee lists that divide the 30 referees across the subsections.

Arbitration is a new standalone section, previously known as Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, and it contains the subsection Arbitrators. Firms can provide separate submissions for Arbitration and Arbitrators, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights, with the Arbitration submission focusing on work done as arbitration counsel.

Litigation is also a new standalone section, previously known as Dispute Resolution: Litigation. Firms need only provide one submission for this practice area, with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Dispute Resolution is no longer its own section in our Austrian coverage.

Corporate/M&A requires only one submission, with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Since we do not have a separate Private Equity section in Austria, any private equity work should be included in the Corporate/M&A submission.

Banking & Finance has the subsection of Banking & Finance: Regulatory, therefore firms can provide a submission for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

The following practice areas have subsections so firms can provide separate submissions, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights, but should only provide a maximum of 20 referees for the entire practice area. Please do not upload the same referee list for each subsection, instead either upload one referee list with all 20 referees for the section or separate referee lists for the subsections, dividing the referees across the subsections that are relevant to your practice:

Public Law is composed of Public Law: General, Public Law: Planning & Environment and Public Law: Public Procurement/PPP. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Public Law or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Real Estate has the subsection of Real Estate: Construction. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Restructuring/Insolvency has the subsection of Restructuring/Insolvency: Administration. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights, with the Administration submission focusing on work where lawyers act as administrators for insolvent companies or as court-appointed bankruptcy trustees.

TMT is composed of Data Protection, Information Technology and Media subsections. Similarly to Public Law, firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to TMT, covering all areas of TMT, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

For the following practice areas, firms should only provide one submission (with a maximum of 20 work highlights) and one referee list (with a maximum of 20 referees):

For the following practice areas (Banking & Finance, Competition/European Law, Corporate/M&A and Dispute Resolution), please note that you can provide up to 30 referees in these areas. In the 2026 cycle, we have decided to remove the cap of 5 referees per lawyer. If a practice area has a subsection, i.e. Banking & Finance and Banking & Finance: Regulatory, please do not upload the same referee list twice. You should either upload one referee list with the 30 referees for all of a practice area’s subsections, or separate referee lists that divide the 30 referees across the subsections.

Banking & Finance has the subsection of Banking & Finance: Regulatory, therefore firms can provide a submission for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Competition/European Law is comprised of Competition/European Law: State Aid, Competition: EU and Competition: Domestic. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Corporate/M&A requires only one submission, with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Since we do not have a separate Private Equity section in Belgium, any private equity work should be included in the Corporate/M&A submission. Please include ECM and DCM matters in the Capital Markets submission instead.

Dispute Resolution comprises Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, Dispute Resolution: Litigation and Dispute Resolution: White-Collar Crime. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Dispute Resolution, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

The following practice areas have subsections so firms can provide separate submissions, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights, but should only provide a maximum of 20 referees for the entire practice area. Please do not upload the same referee list for each subsection, instead either upload one referee list with all 20 referees for the section or separate referee lists for the subsections, dividing the referees across the subsections that are relevant to your practice:

Life Sciences is split into Life Sciences: Domestic and Life Sciences: EU. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Life Sciences or to the specific subsection in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Intellectual Property matters should instead be submitted to the Intellectual Property section.

Public Law has the subsection of Planning & Environment. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Tax has the subsection of Tax: VAT. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

TMT is composed of Data Protection, Information Technology, Media and Telecommunications subsections. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to TMT, covering all areas of TMT, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

For the following practice areas, firms should only provide one submission (with a maximum of 20 work highlights) and one referee list (with a maximum of 20 referees):

Corporate/Commercial requires only one submission, with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Firms should provide only one referee list with a maximum of 20 referees for this section.

Dispute Resolution has the subsection of Dispute Resolution: White-Collar Crime. Firms can either provide one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights, or separate submissions for each section, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Please do not upload the same referee list for each subsection, instead either upload one referee list with all 20 referees for the entire section to Dispute Resolution or separate referee lists for the subsections, dividing the 20 referees across the subsections that are relevant to your practice.

For the following practice areas (Banking & Finance and Corporate/M&A), please note that you can provide up to 30 referees in these areas. In the 2026 cycle, we have decided to remove the cap of 5 referees per lawyer. If a practice area has a subsection, i.e. Banking & Finance and Capital Markets, please do not upload the same referee list twice. You should either upload one referee list with the 30 referees for all of a practice area’s subsections, or separate referee lists that divide the 30 referees across the subsections.

Banking & Finance has the subsection of Capital Markets. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Corporate/M&A requires only one submission, with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Since we do not have a separate Private Equity section in Luxembourg, any private equity work should be included in the Corporate/M&A submission. Fund formation or fund structuring work should be included in the Investment Funds subsection.

For the following practice areas, firms should only provide one submission (with a maximum of 20 work highlights) and one referee list (with a maximum of 20 referees):

For the following practice areas (Arbitration, Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A and Litigation), please note that you can provide up to 30 referees in these areas. In the 2026 cycle, we have decided to remove the cap of 5 referees per lawyer. If a practice area has a subsection, i.e. Banking & Finance with Banking & Finance: Project Finance and Banking & Finance: Regulatory, please do not upload the same referee list multiple times. You should either upload one referee list with the 30 referees for all of a practice area’s subsections, or separate referee lists that divide the 30 referees across the subsections.

Arbitration requires only one submission, with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Banking & Finance has the subsections of Banking & Finance: Project Finance and Banking & Finance: Regulatory. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Banking & Finance, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Corporate/M&A is split into Corporate/M&A: High-End Capability and Corporate/M&A: Mid-Market. Please only provide one submission to Corporate/M&A, with a maximum of 20 work highlights, and we will use this to decide whether a firm should be ranked in High-End or Mid-Market. Since we do not have a separate Private Equity section in the Netherlands, any private equity work should be included in the Corporate/M&A submission.

Litigation has the subsections of Supreme Court Litigation and Litigation: Mass Torts: Mainly Plaintiffs. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Litigation, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

The following practice areas have subsections so firms can provide separate submissions, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights, but should only provide a maximum of 20 referees for the entire practice area. Please do not upload the same referee list for each subsection, instead either upload one referee list with all 20 referees for the section or separate referee lists for the subsections, dividing the referees across the subsections that are relevant to your practice:

Capital Markets is composed of Debt, Derivatives (not currently a ranking table), Equity and Securitisation subsections. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Capital Markets, covering all areas or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Employment has the subsection of Employment: Pensions. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Energy & Natural Resources is split into E&NR: Regulatory and E&NR: Transactional. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Energy & Natural Resources, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Intellectual Property is split into IP: General – Mostly Trade Mark/Copyright and IP: Patent. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Intellectual Property, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or to the specific subsection in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Public Law has the subsection of Public Law: Planning & Environment. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Real Estate has the subsections Real Estate: Finance and Real Estate: Leading Notaries. Construction is no longer a subsection of Real Estate and should be submitted to separately. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Real Estate, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights. The Leading Notaries submission should focus on work done by notaries in the team.

Restructuring/Insolvency has the subsection of Restructuring/Insolvency: Administration. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights, with the Administration submission focusing on work where lawyers act as administrators for insolvent companies or as court-appointed bankruptcy trustees.

TMT is composed of Data Protection, IT & IT Outsourcing, Media and Telecommunications subsections. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to TMT, covering all areas of TMT, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Transportation is composed of Transportation: Aviation, Transportation: Shipping and Transportation: Shipping: Finance. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Transportation, covering all areas, or to the specific subsection(s) in which they are interested, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

White-Collar Crime & Corporate Investigations is split into separate White-Collar Crime and Corporate Investigations subsections. However, firms should only submit one submission, with a maximum of 20 work highlights, to the joint White-Collar Crime & Corporate Investigations section.

For the following practice areas, firms should only provide one submission (with a maximum of 20 work highlights) and one referee list (with a maximum of 20 referees):

For the following practice areas (Arbitration, Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A and Litigation), please note that you can provide up to 30 referees in these areas. In the 2026 cycle, we have decided to remove the cap of 5 referees per lawyer. If a practice area has a subsection, i.e. Arbitration with Arbitration Counsel and Arbitrators, please do not upload the same referee list multiple times. You should either upload one referee list with the 30 referees for all of a practice area’s subsections, or separate referee lists that divide the 30 referees across the subsections.

Arbitration is split into Arbitration Counsel and Arbitrators. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Arbitration, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Banking & Finance now has the subsection Banking & Finance: Regulatory. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

Corporate/M&A requires only one submission, with a maximum of 20 work highlights. Since we do not have a separate Private Equity section in Switzerland, any private equity work should be included in the Corporate/M&A submission.

Litigation has a White-Collar Crime subsection. Firms can provide separate submissions to both areas, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

For Healthcare & Life Sciences, this section is split into Healthcare, Life Sciences and Life Sciences: Patent Litigation. Please only upload a maximum of 20 referees for this entire section. Please do not upload the same referee list for each subsection, instead either upload one referee list with all 20 referees for the section or separate referee lists for the subsections, dividing the referees across the subsections that are relevant to your practice. Firms can either upload one submission with a maximum of 20 work highlights to Healthcare & Life Sciences, covering all the areas that are relevant to the practice, or separate submissions for each subsection, each with a maximum of 20 work highlights.

For the following practice areas, firms should only provide one submission (with a maximum of 20 work highlights) and one referee list (with a maximum of 20 referees):