Time to prepare – and keep every date on your radar
Legal 500 has opened its new US season. The Legal 500 US National submission and referee deadline is set for 13 November 2026. This brings the next deadlines for the US market into focus – and Legal 500 USA is just one of many deadlines firms need to track in parallel.
This season introduces several new and amended practice areas – in particular additional value-based bands (mid-market, premium, large-cap) and new boutique categories across energy, dispute resolution, M&A/corporate, real estate and media & entertainment. Firms should start preparing early to make the most of the new categories.
Chambers, Benchmark Litigation, IAM, IP STARS, WTR 1000, GAR 100 & Co. each run on their own submission and referee deadlines. In practice, even “confirmed” dates are moved by the directories throughout the season – so it is easy to lose track.
All ranking deadlines at a glance
To make sure nothing slips through, we maintain a continuously updated, cost-free overview of all ranking submission deadlines – across 18 countries, expandable by country, clearly flagged “Confirmed” or “Forecast”, and with a direct “Add deadline to calendar” function.
New: add every directory deadline straight to your Outlook calendar with a single click.
Go to the deadlines overview – including Legal 500 USA
Learn more about strong submissions
If you want to know how to write a convincing submission, we share our expertise here:
- “Compass Law Firm Rankings” – the book by Alexander Gendlin: the world’s first book on the subject of law firm rankings, with guidelines for writing submission texts and getting your matter descriptions right.
- Legal 500 Game Changer with Client Referees: how the new Legal 500 process for surveying your client referees works.
- Too little time for submissions? Keep it up!: why weak submissions fail – and what makes a strong one.
Law Business has supported law firms with submissions for Chambers, Legal 500 & Co. since 2004.