The most recognised benchmarking brand amongst the world's leading clients
Driven by a uniquely broad spectrum of research data points
Who we are
Legal 500, founded by John Pritchard in 1987, is the world’s leading legal services benchmarking platform, connecting global law firms and international clients through trusted insights and proprietary data based on:
600k+
More than 600,000 corporate counsel annually surveyed for their views and experiences of service provision from thousands of elite law firms worldwide
60k+
Over 60,000 law firm submissions annually
100+
Comprehensive research covering legal markets in 100+ jurisdictions
Our research team’s unique access to a wide range of multi-faceted data points, from quantitative assessment of service provision to sentiment analysis from client testimonials, forecasting and horizon scanning
What we do
A team of experienced, highly knowledgeable researchers and data analysts assess law firms against the broadest available range of practice area competencies, industry sector expertise and client satisfaction metrics. Our research empowers buyers and sellers in the legal market to make informed decisions and achieve better outcomes through unparalleled depth of research and legal market data.
Choosing the right law firm
Legal 500 research ranks firms based on expertise, client feedback, and peer assessment, enabling buyers of legal services to make confident, informed decisions.
Trusted rankings
We rigorously assess law firms based on technical expertise, client feedback, and market reputation. This ensures potential clients are selecting law firms that consistently deliver the highest-quality legal services.
Global reach
Whether you’re looking for a law firm in London, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Frankfurt, Paris or Singapore, legal500.com research comprehensively covers all jurisdictions worldwide, providing detailed analysis of local and cross-border capabilities and expertise.
Searchable by practice area
Legal500.com rankings break down elite law firm expertise by practice area, supporting buying decisions in all major disciplines from mergers to commercial property, shipping to IP.
Peer and client validation
Rankings are built on extensive interviews and surveys of clients, private practice leaders and industry professionals, delivering authoritative insight on the market’s elite service providers.
Visibility and credibility
A Legal 500 ranking is the ultimate recognition of excellence – and it’s Legal 500 data that powers online and AI search tools. Wherever clients are looking for guidance on the right advisers, it’s Legal 500 benchmarking that provides the answers.
Subscription Packages
Partnering with Legal 500 puts your firm on the map — connecting you with the clients who matter most. With unmatched reach, industry recognition, and deep market insight, we offer a powerful platform to showcase your expertise.
Whether you’re looking to benchmark your performance, explore subscription opportunities, or simply discover how we work, we would be pleased to provide further information — find out more.
Choose the right subscription package for your firm
| Standard vs Premium Features | Standard | Premium |
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| Legal 500 profile and commentary |
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| Client testimonials | Up to 6 | Up to 10 |
| Key clients | Up to 12 | Up to 20 |
| Work highlights | Up to 3 | Up to 5 |
| Law firm comparison tool |
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| Links from your firm's websites and social platforms |
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| Lawyer report card (with biographical info) |
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| Listed above non-subscribing firms within each tier |
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| Marketing Toolkit (badges, logos and ranking announcement email) |
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| Early rankings: at-a-glance access to previous year's ranking data alongside new ranking data for comparison purposes |
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| Early rankings: access to editorial commentary, client testimonials, work highlights and key clients |
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| Historical data: access previous Legal 500 editions | Your firm data | All firm data |
| Referee Track + Add |
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| Legal 500 Live: Updates, Commentary & Submission |
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| Submission Analysis Report (all BPAs in a country) |
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| Web user report: analysis of companies visiting your pages |
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Data
Legal 500 data resources take in a broader scope of client and law firm information than any other service. Qualitative and quantitative data is combined to create a strategic compass for clients searching for the best legal advisers for their work, and a diagnostic framework for law firms seeking continuous improvement.
Client service
Law firm service provision assessed by clients in terms of lawyer/team quality; billing/value for money; and industry/sector knowledge and presence.
NPS®
Net Promoter Score client and brand loyalty assessments based on feedback from hundreds of thousands of client referees worldwide.
Law firm submissions
Legal 500 receives some 60,000 law firm submissions each year, providing unrivalled insight into market trends and dynamics, law firm strategy, individual expertise, client relationships and work highlights.
Client perceptions
Horizon scan data on expectations, forecasts and key issues facing corporate counsel in our comprehensive survey of customers of the world’s elite law firms.
Client referees
Testimonials, endorsement and sentiment analysis from GCs and corporate counsel, exclusively shared with Legal 500 researchers and reporters.
Our objective is to provide actionable outcomes to law firm leadership, marketing and business development teams, as well as to clients and buyers of legal services, from our range of data reports.
- Market dynamics, competitor analysis and historical rankings trends
- Industry sector trend analysis and reporting
- Leading individual expertise assessed and ranked
- Client spending habits forecast and explained
- Client priorities measured and discussed
- Client sentiment and recurring themes analysed
- Client satisfaction factors measured and law firm strengths and weaknesses evaluated
Learn more about our data reporting services by getting in touch with Tim Verbrugge for further details.
Country Comparative Guides: navigate cross-border legal complexity with ease
Country Comparative Guides give you instant access to expert insights on laws and regulations across 100+ jurisdictions and 60+ practice areas – all written by top-tier law firms.
Compare legal frameworks side-by-side
Save time with clear, practical overviews
Find expert contacts in each country and field
Use intuitive search and tabs to get answers fast
Whether you’re managing a multi-jurisdictional deal or assessing regulatory risk, our guides help in-house teams make smarter, faster decisions.
Visit Country Comparative Guides for more details.
If you are interested in contributing, please contact Antony Dine.
Legal Business: Powered by Legal 500
Legal Business is the leading online resource for in-depth analysis of the global legal market, trusted by senior professionals for coverage of law firm strategy, performance, and industry trends. With exclusive access to proprietary Legal 500 data and a reputation for astute commentary and rigorous scrutiny, it offers unmatched insight into both private practice and corporate client expectations and perceptions.
For subscription information, please contact Jasmine Glass. Complimentary subscriptions are available for in-house legal professionals.
Events
From GC Powerlists that spotlight the most influential in-house legal teams in business today, to our award ceremonies that recognise excellence across the legal profession – celebrating outstanding individuals, teams, and chambers – our events are dedicated to showcasing legal excellence at every level. Find out more
Additional resources
For a deeper dive into our additional proprietary information, data and analysis, be sure to visit our Additional resources page.
Contact us
Have questions? Check out our FAQs for quick answers. If you need further assistance, would like to give us feedback, or have specific enquiries, our team is here to help. Reach out to us through our contact us form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Your enquiries are important to us, and we look forward to connecting with you.