Legal rankings are being used as practical tools to inform hiring, benchmarking and talent decisions. IHC in both jurisdictions see them as a way to find and engage new legal counsel, validate choices and support internal decision-making.
The data shows that rankings are embedded in multiple points of the legal procurement lifecycle, from initial selection to ongoing evaluation.
While both markets use rankings for similar purposes, the order of priorities reveals subtle differences in how IHC approach external counsel relationships and talent pipelines.
United States: Rankings as Procurement Aide
US IHC use rankings primarily to identify expertise. The most common use — to find experts in practice areas (76%) — reflects a need for precision and confidence when navigating complex or unfamiliar legal terrain. Finding new legal representation (70%) comes close behind, suggesting that rankings are a key input when refreshing panels or sourcing specialist support.
Geographic expertise (57%) is also a major factor, indicating that IHC value rankings when expanding into new jurisdictions or managing multi-state matters. Identifying emerging talent for in-house recruitment (55%) shows that rankings are influencing internal hiring decisions, not just external engagement.
Finally, evaluating currently engaged firms and lawyers (51%) suggests that rankings are being used retrospectively — to validate existing relationships and support performance reviews.
