ACTIONABLE LESSONS

Achieving a Chambers Ranking as a Boutique Firm

Above all, Aaron attributes Bundy Law’s Band 1 ranking to two main factors: work ethic and continuous training.

A permanent focus on upskilling allows smaller firms to aspire to a superior level of service, especially when compared to other firms of a similar size. And to keep up with this ongoing training while simultaneously providing first-class service to clients, solid work ethic is crucial.

It’s not just about the lawyers, however. Great support staff are central to client service excellence.

For other small firms hoping to achieve a Chambers ranking, Aaron’s advice is to look beyond the legal industry. Aaron comments that the law can be quite insular and self-referential, therefore thinking outside the box and looking at how people and companies are excelling in other fields of work can help a smaller firm stand out.

From children’s dentist offices to accountants, Aaron suggests that if a business is doing something well, regardless of the industry they’re in, smaller firms should take what they can and apply it to themselves, whether that’s an easy-to-use website or a welcoming office space.

Aaron also highlights the need for self-promotion, which has historically been looked down on.

By leveraging social media, such as LinkedIn, and submitting articles to publications, lawyers in both big and small firms alike can put themselves out there, write and speak about their work and publicize their professional achievements.

With a variety of Chambers rankings tables and guides globally, including several guides focused on the United States market alone, most firms will find that their work fits into a particular category.

Aaron mentions the importance of carefully choosing which category you make a submission for, using the High Net Worth guide, in which both himself and his firm are ranked, as an example:

“If you're a general practice and not focused on high net worth or complex institutional cases, then maybe you shouldn’t apply to the High Net Worth guide. But if you're doing federal appeals, for example, even as a small or solo outfit, absolutely make a submission for the Chambers USA appellate ranking.”

You could be doing really great work and no one is going to know about it. "

Aaron Bundy

Owner and Founding Partner, Bundy Law

^{The value of Chambers feedback}

In terms of the submission process itself, Aaron stresses that it’s not just about achieving a ranking.

He highlights receiving invaluable feedback from Chambers that can give smaller firms the information they need to succeed and aim higher in the future.

While making a submission to Chambers does not guarantee that a firm will be ranked, detailed feedback will always be provided. Team members at Chambers will also make themselves available for calls and meetings to answer any questions a lawyer may have, as well as provide insight into their submissions and rankings, as well as the wider market.

This feedback has been invaluable, alllowing Aaron to see what they could be doing differently, adjust, and try again.

He notes the legal industry is often personality-driven, and politics and law intersect, which can make it hard to get objective feedback elsewhere. When conducting client surveys, some clients may not respond, and those that do may provide vague feedback that isn’t actionable.

Listen to what Chambers says. Get on a Teams meeting, make a call. They have been very responsive. And once you have your feedback, execute on it and do your best."

Aaron Bundy

Owner and Founding Partner, Bundy Law

Insights from Chambers are objective and unfiltered, allowing firms of all sizes to understand what they are doing well and what they could do better.

In order to continuously receive granular feedback that he can execute on, Aaron subscribes to the Chambers Insight reports. These reports provide him with insights on the firm’s rankings and submissions, an in-depth view of the firm’s main competitors, access to quotes from clients, advice from Chambers and more.

Through feedback acquired from the Chambers Insight reports, firms and lawyers alike can gain a deep understanding of their main areas of strength as well as potential weaknesses, allowing them to identify areas of focus and improvement. This can not only be helpful in helping achieve or improve a firm or individual’s Chambers ranking, but also learn how they could better serve clients and achieve a higher level of work.

Learn about Chambers Insight