Legal 500 is dispensing with paper submissions and asking firms to submit their written submissions and reference spreadsheets through a new online system.
The overhaul of the submission process is part of a wider shift at the publisher that will see it move to a wholly digital platform and enhanced website.
Legal 500 has stressed that they are not changing the content of the submissions – just the way in which they are uploaded – so firms are not being asked to provide more information.
At this stage the technology has been designed so that firms enter submission content directly into an online form, but Legal 500 is also looking at developing a paper equivalent that will enable law firms to gather up material internally as they do now using a traditional document.
But at the final stage, instead of emailing that document over to Legal 500, as is the case currently, you will enter the content into an online database to transmit it directly to Legal 500.
Things are at an early stage, and the new system will be rolled out gradually over the months ahead.
Directories are often criticized for landing major changes like this on to firms without any warning, but Legal 500 to their credit is in listening mode, and will seek to fine tune the technology following feedback from law firms and those involved in submissions.
Selected law firms in the UK will shortly be invited to “beta test” the new system in advance of the forthcoming Legal 500 UK deadlines in February and March 2018.
Those firms will be able to flag up any issues, and suggest amendments to ensure the process works as smoothly as possible.
[…] Asia rollout follows the launch of the new online submission system in January […]