Copyright 1000 2027: IAM and World Trademark Review open research for the second edition in October 2026
The first edition of the Copyright 1000 by IAM and World Trademark Review (WTR) is out – a guide dedicated solely to copyright practice, with information correct as of September 2026. It covers more than 75 jurisdictions, Austria, Germany and Switzerland among them. Research for the 2027 edition starts in October 2026, and submissions are due in November 2026. The research page does not yet give an exact day.
A ranking of its own for copyright
IAM and WTR are best known for the IAM Patent 1000 on patents and the WTR 1000 on trade marks. The Copyright 1000 applies the same research model to copyright. It ranks firms and individual practitioners in gold, silver and bronze bands, or as “Highly recommended” and “Recommended” where market feedback is thinner. According to the methodology, the first edition already drew a record number of written submissions.
How the submission works
Firms take part in three ways: a written submission, client contact details for reference purposes, and interviews with their leading copyright lawyers. Submissions go through a proprietary online tool run by IAM and WTR. Each firm needs a personalised link and password, issued by the research editor, who can also provide a Word version of the form on request.
| September 2026 | Information in the first edition of the Copyright 1000 correct as of this date |
| October 2026 | Research for the 2027 edition begins |
| November 2026 | Submission deadline – day to be confirmed |
| Autumn 2027 | Second edition published |
Action points for firms in Austria, Germany and Switzerland
Secure access. Without the personalised link there is no way into the tool. If you do not have one yet, request it from the research editor well ahead of the deadline.
Select matters against the editors’ criteria. The research page lists what counts: clients, the nature of the matters, sectors, unique selling points, and the leading individuals and future leaders. Let those points drive the selection rather than the structure of existing IP submissions.
Plan the interviews. The research team speaks to the practice’s leading lawyers. Block time in the autumn diary early.
What we have not verified
The publisher has not yet named the exact deadline day, and we do not guess it. We have not reviewed the 2027 questionnaire, which is only accessible via the personalised link. Nor do we comment here on rankings in Austria, Germany or Switzerland.
We track directory procedures at the primary source and prepare submissions for IAM, WTR and all other directories for law firms across the German-speaking region.