How to Select Cases for Legal Ranking Submissions

A common challenge lawyers face is effectively presenting their project experience when preparing ranking submissions. Often, what seems like routine work to a practitioner may contain unrecognized achievements that would be valuable for legal rankings. The application process itself demands significant time and effort.

As we've mentioned before, we recommend documenting completed and ongoing projects throughout the year rather than scrambling during submission periods. To highlight a project's unique aspects, reflect on your work experience to identify what specific problems were solved. Below are key criteria for selecting projects to include in your submissions.

Project Selection Criteria

1. Avoid Repetitive Cases

• Showcase diversity in your work (e.g., different types of litigation, dispute resolution, or transactional matters).
• Multiple cases for the same client may weaken your application—demonstrate client variety.

2. High-Value Projects & Prominent Clients

• Focus on cases with significant financial stakes (large disputes or transactions).
• Note: Artificially inflating project values can backfire.

3. Strategic Importance to the Client

• What may seem routine to you could be business-critical for the client (e.g., a disputed asset generating major revenue).
• Consider the client’s perspective—how did your work impact their business?

4. Complexity & Scale

• Highlight projects requiring deep expertise, multi-stage strategies, or extensive resources.
• Demonstrate your team’s ability to handle sophisticated legal challenges.

5. Media Coverage & Public Interest

• Cases that gained media attention or sparked public debate add weight to your submission.
• Projects that influenced broader discussions on justice or legal reform are particularly valuable.

6. Cross-Border Elements

• Matters involving multiple jurisdictions showcase your team’s international capabilities.

7. Innovation & Legal Precedents

• Did the case involve new legislation, groundbreaking approaches, or first-of-its-kind solutions?
• Precedent-setting rulings (especially from higher courts) strengthen your application.
• Cases that triggered professional debates or required novel legal analysis stand out.

By applying these criteria, you can transform seemingly "ordinary" cases into compelling submissions that reflect your firm’s expertise and competitive edge.

Pro Tip: Maintain an ongoing case log with these factors in mind—it will streamline future ranking applications.

Key Takeaway:
Legal rankings don’t just reward "big wins"—they value how you articulate your work’s significance. Frame each project to emphasize impact, innovation, and client value.