Welcome to Benchmark Latin America – the definitive guide to the region’s leading litigation law firms and lawyers.

Benchmark Litigation has been in the market since 2008. We exclusively cover the litigation and disputes markets and aim to provide law firm and lawyer rankings on the market’s most important cases and firm developments.

Research is conducted through extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists and their clients to identify the leading litigators and firms. During these interviews, we examine recent contentious casework handled by law firms and ask individual litigators to provide their professional opinions on peers and practitioners within their jurisdiction or practice area.

To ensure that you hear about research updates from Benchmark, PLEASE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE

How to take part?

1. View our 2020 research webinar for submission tips here
2. Download our RESEARCH FORM.
3. Complete the research questionnaire
4. Upload your completed research questionnaire to our ONLINE SUBMISSION PORTAL.
5. Upload your client referees via our CLIENT REFEREE PORTAL.

For each jurisdiction, you need only submit one (1) Research Questionnaire. (If you wish, you can provide additional information/documents and case highlights for individual practice area categories in support of your main submission.)

Please mark confidential information in RED and indicate clearly if the case is wholly or partially confidential. If partially, please specify what elements. Any information provided may be published, except where indicated.

Please include at least one (1) publishable case per practice area.

Please include the details of up to ten (10) key cases per practice area handled since June 2018.

Please nominate a maximum of three (3) cases to be considered for a potential award.

The CLIENT REFEREE PORTAL allows you to provide us with basic contact details of clients the firm has worked with recently. We contact these clients as part of our research to get feedback on your firm and lawyers. Client contact details provided are treated as confidential. The answers provided by clients are 'not for attribution' and we do not publish or reveal client details.

What we publish

We publish law firm and lawyer rankings and accompanying editorial in print and online. We research the following dispute resolution practice areas:

Research timeline for the 2020 Edition: 

• RESEARCH WEBINAR – January 14, 2020
• RESEARCH BEGINS – January 15, 2020
• SUBMISSION DEADLINE – March 16, 2020
• RESEARCH INTERVIEWS  – January - April 2020 (travel dates TBD)
• CLIENT SURVEY LAUNCH - March 30, 2020
• RANKINGS AND EDITORIAL PUBLISHED – June 2020
  
  

 Why take part?

• Editorial coverage in the guide
• Accurate and in-depth representation of your firm’s dispute resolution activities
• Exposure to our global readership at the world’s most significant corporations and financial institutions
• No cost involved in participating in the research

Methodology

Our law firm rankings are based on three key criteria:

• Case evidence

In each research cycle we ask firms to provide recent case highlights and this is used to determine their position in the market. Firms should provide their most complex and interesting cases in the research form and explain clearly to our research team why they are important and what they tell us about the firm’s abilities.

• Peer feedback

We conduct an online LAWYER SURVEY of law firm partners to get their thoughts and feedback on our current law firm rankings and leading lawyers. All partners active in the relevant research categories are invited to take part and we also conduct phone and face-to-face interviews with practitioners.

• Client feedback

We speak to a wide range of corporate and in-house contacts as part of our CLIENT FEEDBACK SURVEY to get their opinions on the firms and lawyers they use. The client survey is expected to go out to clients on March 30, 2020.

Litigation Stars and Future Stars

Alongside our firm rankings we also recognise the work of outstanding individuals. Our recommendations are based on the same three factors as our law firm rankings and consist of the following categories:

• Litigation Stars

Lawyers who are highly regarded by their peers and possess a strong case record and positive client feedback.

• Future Stars

'Ones to watch' these are lawyers who are building their reputations in the market.

Special Honors: Top Arbitrator & Top 25 Lat-Am Women in Litigation

Alongside our firm rankings we also recognise the work of outstanding individuals for our Special Honors designation. This information can also be provided on the research questionnaire. 

• Top Arbitrator

Top Arbitrator is a Special Honor given to those individuals deemed by their peers to be best qualified to act as impartial neutral arbitrators in their respective practice areas and jurisdictions. Nominees for Top Arbitrator should be included on the appropriate section of the questionnaire.

• Top 25 Lat-Am Women in Litigation:

The Top 250 Women in Litigation is an extension publication of Benchmark that covers the Top 250 Female litigators in the US, Top 25 Female Litigators in Canada, and Top 25 Female Litigators in Latin America. The Top Women in Litigation guide is published in July and will focus on the leading women litigators as identified through the research process. Nominees for this Special Honor can be provided on the questionnaire. Those selected to this designation will appear in both the Top 250 Women in Litigation guide AND Benchmark Latin America.

U.S. Firms with a Latin America Practice Group: International Arbitration

This new section of Benchmark Latin America will include key U.S. firms and lawyers who are knowledgeable and active in key international arbitration proceedings that affect and involve countries throughout Latin America, ONLY.

The diversity of Latin America as a region is reflected in the variety of international firms carving out a position for themselves. The region’s wide range of industries and fast-moving economic cycles make it a very appealing market for external practitioners. Benchmark Latin America aims to highlight those who are increasingly active in complex international disputes that have resulted in winning strategies in arbitration proceedings.

U.S. firms who wish to submit dispute information for other practice areas should see the U.S. edition of Benchmark Litigation here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send information in another format?

Yes, as long as the information we ask for is provided you can submit in any word or PDF format.

How does Benchmark differ from Chambers or other competitors?

Benchmark focuses exclusively on dispute resolution and litigation. This allows us to provide a much more in-depth analysis of the market. Benchmark is also editorially driven, rather than statistically driven, and strives to avoid being over-inclusive. We aim to cover only firms and litigators that are of an elite status.

How much influence do we have over our ratings vs. the external market?

Firms are encouraged to tell their story via our research form and through interviews. We then measure the firm’s input against the feedback we receive via studying the market. If our studies are in harmony with the firm’s assertions, we weight them equally. If there is an extreme disparity between the firm’s views and a pronounced percentage of the market, we will provide greater weight to the market consensus.

If we participate, are we guaranteed to get rated and/or have commentary?

All firms who submit and can prove they are doing notable work in the relevant practice areas will receive some form of editorial coverage, however we do not guarantee rankings or lawyer ratings.

I'm from a firm in the United States, but we have a strong Lat-Am practice. Can we submit a questionnaire for the Benchmark Lat-Am guide?
Yes, U.S. firms with a Lat-Am practice can submit a questionnaire for Benchmark Lat-Am for the international arbitration category only. This new section of Benchmark Latin America will premiere in 2020 and is set to include key U.S. firms and lawyers who are knowledgeable and active in key international arbitration proceedings that affect jurisdictions throughout Latin America. Benchmark Latin America aims to highlight those who are increasingly active in complex international disputes that have resulted in winning strategies in arbitrations proceedings. To submit for other categories, please visit our informational page for Benchmark U.S.here.

Should we list confidential cases/clients? How do we ensure these remain confidential?

You can provide confidential clients/cases if you feel we should be aware of these, and we will certainly be respectful of confidential agreements – please mark confidential information clearly, ideally in RED.

We see there are two surveys circulating: the individual lawyer survey and the firm survey. Is there a difference? Are both required for the research?

Yes. These two surveys are very distinct and make up the core portion of the research. The firm survey is for an overview of all dispute resolution capabilities of the firm as a whole. The individual lawyer survey is for those currently ranked as litigation and future stars, AS WELL AS for any potential litigation and future stars who would like to put themselves up for consideration. The individual survey is to be taken by the lawyers directly, and not marketing personnel as this is a key opportunity for lawyers to highlight themselves in further depth than perhaps the firm survey would allow. 

When/how do you contact client referees?

We contact all client referees provided to us via email and invite them to take part in an online client survey. The survey asks clients about the firms they use, why they use them, what they use them for and how long they have been using them. The information provided by clients is confidential though we do publish non-attributed client quotes in the guide.

Do you only rate those of partner level?

We primarily rank partners but outstanding senior associates are recognized as well.

We’re a small boutique firm – what chance do we stand against the big brand name firms in your ratings?

Because Benchmark focuses exclusively on disputes, which is often the focus for specialist firms in the market, smaller firms stand a very good chance of being just as highly rated as large corporate firms, and in some cases even more highly rated.

How do we get an in-person interview?

In-person interviews are welcomed if schedules permit. Simply contact us and request one, and, depending on the schedule flexibility of our researchers, we can arrange one.

Should I wait until the firm questionnaire is complete before scheduling partner interviews?

There is no need to wait, as the interviews are not about going through the submission again. Interviews allow lawyers to tell our researchers their stories in general personal summary form, and provide us with the feedback that we require regarding peer review, market trends, in-house counsel references, etc.

How do I nominate Top Women litigators and Top Arbitrators?
There is a section of the questionnaire where you can put forth names for consideration. 

Can I review my firm’s editorial in advance of press and suggest changes to it?

No. Firms cannot be allowed to view their editorials prior to press, and are never allowed to have their own input into how they read.

What is the readership of Benchmark?

The readers of Benchmark include law firms and buyers of legal services/in-house counsel.

Is Benchmark "pay-to-play?" If I don’t support the project financially do I still get rated?

Benchmark is absolutely not "pay-to-play." Firms cannot pay to appear in the guide, and can only be rated if the market deems them worthy of consideration. 

I want to be contacted for Benchmark announcements, how do I register?

To make sure you receive our announcements PLEASE REGISTER HERE.

 I have a question that’s not answered here. Can I contact anyone to ask it?

Yes. Please email Benchmark Lat-Am Editor - Shailyn Tirado at shailyn.tirado@euromoneyny.com