Referees often fall into the trap of being an afterthought, a mere checkbox in the extensive directory submission process. After weeks of meticulous drafting and gathering matter highlights, providing a few names and email addresses feels like a minor task in comparison. Yet, this complacency can be costly. Referees are more than just names—they are voices that can significantly influence a firm's standing. Engaging them thoughtfully and strategically is not just courteous; it’s essential.
Why referees shouldn’t be an afterthought
It is easy for referees to end up as an afterthought. After all, all that is needed is to provide a list of names and email addresses, after what can be weeks of drafting, this feels easy by comparison. This time last year we explored whether it was time for law firms to ditch the directories. Whether or not you decide to do that, we do believe that more should be done to understand the clients you are putting forward as referees. This will benefit not only the Directory submission process but also your firm.
Now, any directory consultant worth their salt will tell you that referees should be primed. You should let them know that you are thinking of putting them forward and ask them if they mind. You can even send a reminder as the contact date approaches. Many send several and include some thoughts around what it would be helpful to say. It never ceases to amaze me that lawyers are more than happy to engage in this process. A process that is of no benefit to the client, but is all about the status of the lawyer and the firm. Vanity can be excused when work is on the line.
It comes as no surprise then, that when firms don’t achieve the ranking that they want, and when they decide to pay exorbitant sums to Chambers or Legal 500 for the reasons that sit behind the editorial decisions, they often find that the referees haven’t been as forthcoming with praise as they thought they might be.
Sadly, the Directories don’t attribute comments, so not only are firms at a loss of who said what, they are also unable to correct this for the future. It is easy to imagine that those clients who aren’t happy with the service, are probably a bit puzzled at being nominated to do the firm a favour and 'be a referee'.
Surprisingly, many lawyers engage in this process despite its limited direct benefit to their clients, focusing instead on the status it bestows on the firm. The consequences of neglecting this step become painfully clear when potential advocates turn lukewarm and rankings fall short. However, referees deserve attention not just as a formal requirement but as a cornerstone of informed and reflective client relations.
3 things firms could be doing instead
It will come as no surprise that the things we advocate firms do all involve listening. Here, we suggest three ways that you could be using client listening to your advantage; and how you can use the directory process to the advantage of your client listening programmes!
Matter highlight debriefs: If you are putting forward a matter as a “highlight” and you haven’t spoken to the client, you are missing a trick! You are telling the Directories that this is one of the key pieces of work that you have done over the last 12 months, why wouldn’t you speak to the client to find out what went well and what there is to learn? What did they value about the work that you did? How can you promote the transaction or project together? If it was big for you, it was probably big for them – how can you make sure that they look good? This exercise will benefit the Directory process - the matter debrief will write the submission for you - but more importantly, it will let the client know that you valued the instruction and want to do more!
Annual listening: Take part in an annual client listening programme, by selecting some top clients from the year. Try and include some who might not be as favourable too, we know fear of finding out is an issue, but don’t let it get in the way! This is a great way to see how the firm is doing, what lessons there are to learn, and to challenge your assumptions about how the firm is performing. Use this as a way to ask for referees too, but leave this to the end, when you know that the referee has had the opportunity to share with you first, and when you know that the person you are putting forward is genuinely happy to take part. This will avoid lukewarm feedback, but it will do more than that, it will prevent the Directories becoming the main focus, they will instead become a "one more thing" at the end of a valuable exercise for the client.
Use the list: We often hear that getting partner buy-in for client listening is challenging. We always think it strange that partners don’t have the same trouble when it comes to producing names for the directories. Use this to your advantage! Why don’t you say that all clients who are put forward for directories are automatically included in any client listening programme? Let partners know that when they give permission for the name they put forward to be contacted by a researcher from the directories, they also give permission for those same people to be included in a client listening programme. Randomly select a handful of these clients to interview across the year. Maybe you will hear the same thing as the researchers. The difference? You can attribute comments to individuals, and you can reflect and act on what you have heard.
Make referees work for you, not against you. Contact Client Talk today to learn how our client listening strategies can help your firm not only elevate its directory submissions, but strengthen its client relationships too.
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