Frequently asked questions

A: The Benchmark Litigation focuses solely on financial law in line with the scope of our sister publication the IFLR magazine. This allows us to create more focused and detailed content.

A: No. Our rankings are based entirely on the independent research carried out by our journalists.

A: Our rankings are qualitative not quantitative so we judge firms on the complexity of their work and the legal innovation they can demonstrate as opposed to the number of transactions they have completed.

A: Our editorial policy states that we only provide accompanying text on a law firm’s practice if they have engaged with the research process. This is to ensure that we are providing accurate information to our readership.

A: The editorial and sales processes are entirely separate and a firm will only be ranked if our research demonstrates that they should be regardless of whether they have purchased a listing in the guide.

A: Our annual rankings are a reflection of market performance over the previous THREE years. We take this view to ensure that our rankings reflect a firm’s long-term track record in the market rather than just representing the last 12 months, which can create anomalies.

A: The Benchmark Litigation awards focus solely on performance on specific transactions in the last 12 months. The Benchmark Litigation rankings are a reflection of a firm’s long-term track record in the market.

A: No. All client referee details submitted to us are treated as confidential and we only use the information to contact individuals as part of our Client Feedback Survey.

A: We do not attribute client quotes to encourage individuals to offer their honest opinion on the firms and lawyers they have worked with.

A: For each research project we undertake we contact all relevant lawyers whose details we have and ask them to complete our Ranking Feedback Survey. This is an anonymous online survey allowing individuals to provide their feedback on our current rankings. If you have not received a hyperlink to the relevant survey please contact a member of our editorial team.

A: Yes, but please ensure that all confidential information is marked in RED. Our journalists will consider this information for the research but we will not publish any details of it.

A: Yes, but please be advised that if you do not practice local law in the jurisdiction concerned the firm will only be considered for the international firms ranking.

A: Client feedback is very important to our research and we encourage law firms to submit referees as part of the process. We do not penalize firms for not providing referees however please be aware that positive client feedback greatly enhances a firm’s chances of improving its ranking.

A: Yes, the Benchmark Litigation research is a continuous process and we keep abreast of market developments throughout the year. The submission process just allows us to make sure that we have the details of a firm’s main transactional highlights for the previous 12 months.

A: Yes, as long as the information we request is included (please see the "About our research" page for details) you can send information in any format you choose.