The latest release from Chambers & Partners introduces some exciting updates, designed to help law firms make the most of the submissions process. Donata Caira at a strategic Content agency ELE explains what has changed.
What’s changing
– Bespoke my account: Tailor your workflow with new time-saving tools, like a quick action bar and enhanced product filters.
– Online submissions beta: Manage all submissions and deadlines in one place with this universally available portal, backed by a help centre for support.
– Referee management: Increased transparency and user-friendly improvements are coming in 2025.
– Spring 2025 Release sneak peek: Chambers’ acquisition of Lamp House Strategy promises advanced data-driven tools and analytics for smarter ranking insights.
In addition, Chambers UK has announced a number of category changes.
Projects, Construction, Planning, Environment, and Commodities
– Projects: While there have been changes to Projects sections, the process of submission to the section stays the same.
– Construction: Firms can now submit to both contentious and non-contentious sections. International Arbitration work should be included in contentious submissions.
– Planning & Environment: For 2026, submissions outside London will combine Planning & Environment sections, covering various UK regions.
– Commodities: Expanded submissions for 2026 across Commodities: Physicals, Commodities: Trade Finance, and Commodities: Derivatives & Energy Trading.
Inquests, Public Inquiries, Public Procurement, and Employment
– Inquiries & Inquests: Chambers will accept separate submissions for Public Inquiries and Inquests for 2026.
– Public Procurement: Scottish firms can submit to a separate Public Procurement ranking.
Employment: Yorkshire region split into two sub-regions for focused submissions.
Family, Court of Protection, Travel, Healthcare and Crime
– Family Law: New standalone table for International Abduction, Adoption, and Surrogacy.
– Court of Protection: Firms can submit to either Property and Affairs, or Health and Welfare.
– Travel: Separate submissions for Travel: Regulatory and Commercial, and for Travel: International Personal Injury
– Healthcare: Submissions split into Healthcare: Private Sector, or Healthcare: Public and Third Sector tables.
– Crime: North East and Yorkshire tables merged into the North East & Yorkshire table.
Media & Entertainment
– 2026 Submissions: Firms can submit to six categories, including Advertising, Film & TV, Music, and Publishing. The Music category has been renamed Music & Talent and expanded to include social media influencers, podcasters and similar.
Capital Markets, Financial Services, Pensions, Restructuring/Insolvency and Tax
– CLO Work: New category for CLO submissions (rather than CLO being included within Securitisation).
– Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory: Separate submissions for corporate and individual work.
– Pensions: UK-wide ranking introduced (excluding Scotland) for combined regional and London pensions coverage.
– Restructuring/Insolvency: Firms can provide a separate submission for contentious insolvency work to a Restructuring/Insolvency: Disputes table.
– Tax: Regional firms will now be ranked in a UK-wide ‘Regions’ table (excluding London and Scotland).
Finally, to recap on deadlines, these have been confirmed for the UK as follows – November 26th 2024, February 5th 2025, and April 2nd 2025. Access to the full research schedule with full details of categories and regions included in each deadline here.
For a comprehensive list of Chambers and Legal 500 submission deadlines, research dates and publication deadlines – updated weekly – see ELE’s Directories Hub and it deadline calendar.
To learn how ELE can help you email contact@ele.team.