What Actually Wins Legal Awards?
Legal awards are won by entries that answer the judging criteria directly and back every claim with evidence, such as measurable results, client feedback and specific examples, rather than by entries that simply describe a firm as excellent. Winning entries usually choose the right category, tell a clear story about what changed and why it mattered, and are written so a busy judge can score them quickly.
Picture an awards judge on a Sunday afternoon with forty entries to score before Monday. Half of them describe the firm as “client-focused”, “innovative” and “passionate about excellence”. A handful explain exactly what the team did, what changed as a result and how they know. It’s not hard to guess which ones end up on the shortlist.
Winning a legal award isn’t about luck, or about being the biggest firm in the room. It’s about giving the judges what they need to score you highly. This guide explains what judges actually look for, the mistakes that sink good entries and how to put together an entry that stands out.
Why legal awards are worth entering
A shortlisting or win gives your firm independent recognition you can use for months afterwards. Like directory rankings, it’s a third party saying your work is good, which carries more weight than anything you say about yourself.
Credibility with clients
An award shows prospective clients that your work has been tested against other firms and come out well.
Tenders and pitches
Wins and shortlistings add independent evidence to proposals, tender responses and panel applications.
Recognition for your people
Awards are a great way to celebrate a team’s hard work, and they help with retention and recruitment.
Content and visibility
A win gives you news to share on your website, on social media, and with clients, and the awards organiser will often promote winners too.
Better future entries
Even an entry that doesn’t win forces you to gather evidence of your achievements, which is useful for directory submissions and pitches.
What judges actually look for
Every awards programme sets its own criteria, but across legal awards judges tend to look for the same things:
Answers to the criteria
Each set of criteria is addressed directly, ideally in the same order and using the same language, so the judge can find what they need to score.
Evidence, not adjectives
Claims are backed by facts: numbers, outcomes, before-and-after comparisons and specific examples.
A clear story
The entry explains the challenge, what the firm did, what changed as a result and why it mattered.
Client impact
It shows the difference the work made to clients, ideally with testimonials or feedback in their own words.
Something distinctive
It explains what was new, different or particularly impressive, rather than describing work any firm might do.
Relevance to the period
Achievements fall within the eligibility period set by the awards, with dates where they help.
Why good firms miss out on legal awards
Plenty of excellent firms submit entries that don’t get shortlisted. Usually it’s for one of these reasons:
Not answering the question
The entry describes the firm in general instead of addressing each criterion.
Claims without proof
Words like “leading” and “exceptional” don’t score points unless something backs them up.
The wrong category
A strong story entered in a category it doesn’t quite fit will struggle against entries that do.
Recycled content
Text lifted from a brochure or a previous entry rarely answers this year’s criteria well.
No supporting evidence
Missing testimonials, figures or documents the organisers asked for can cost marks.
Rushing at the end
Entries written in the last day or two tend to be thin on detail and heavy on generalisations.
How to write a winning award entry
There are no guarantees when it comes to submitting an entry, but you can give yourself the best possible chance.
1. Choose the right awards and categories
Not every award is worth entering. Think about which ones your clients and referrers recognise, from national legal awards to regional law society awards. Then choose categories where you have a genuinely strong story, rather than entering everything.
2. Read the criteria carefully
Before writing anything, read the entry guidance and judging criteria in full. Note the word limits, the eligibility period, and any supporting material required.
3. Gather your evidence first
Collect the facts before you start writing: results, growth figures, client feedback, examples of work and anything that shows impact. If you can’t find evidence for a point, it probably shouldn’t be the centre of your entry.
4. Structure it around the criteria
Use the criteria as your headings or framework, so the judge can see at a glance where each one is answered.
5. Tell a story with a beginning, middle and end
Explain the challenge or opportunity, what your team did, and what changed as a result. Judges remember entries with a clear narrative far more easily than lists of achievements.
6. Bring in the client
Testimonials and client feedback are some of the most persuasive evidence you can include. Make sure you have permission to use them, and keep any confidential details out.
7. Edit hard and check everything
Cut generic phrases, stick to the word count and check every figure and date. Ask someone who wasn’t involved to read it. If they can’t tell what makes your firm stand out, the judges won’t either.
8. Make the most of the result
Whether you’re shortlisted, highly commended or win, share it with clients, on your website and on social media, and use it in pitches and tenders. If you didn’t make the shortlist, ask the organisers for feedback where they offer it.
How to prepare for the Legal 500 submission
Preparation for the Legal 500 research schedule makes a big difference.
1. Check the research calendar
Deadlines differ by region and practice area. Check the current Legal 500 research calendar early and share the dates with everyone involved.
2. Choose your practice areas
Focus on the areas where you have strong work and clients happy to give feedback. Submit under the closest category if your practice doesn’t fit neatly into one.
3. Gather your work and your people
Pull together notable matters from the past year, along with details of the team and the lawyers you want to put forward. Logging work as it happens throughout the year makes this much easier. We have a helpful tool that can help with that.
4. Brief your referees
Ask referees for permission, check their details, and let them know to expect an email from the Legal 500. A short, friendly reminder when research opens helps feedback come back on time.
5. Write, review and submit
Keep the submission clear and factual, get input from the lawyers involved and check it carefully before the deadline.
6. Keep the researchers updated
If something significant happens after you submit, such as a team hire or a major new client, let the relevant researcher know.
7. Put your rankings to work
When the rankings come out, add them to lawyer profiles, your website, proposals and tender templates, and read the editorial for your firm and your competitors to see where to focus next year.
Awards, directories and your brand
Award entries and directory submissions draw on the same evidence, so it makes sense to plan them together. A matter log kept throughout the year will feed both your award entries and your submissions to the Chambers guide and the Legal 500.
Awards also work best when they reinforce what your firm wants to be known for. Choosing awards that match your positioning helps build a consistent brand, rather than a collection of unrelated trophies.
How we approach legal award entries
We start by helping you choose the awards and categories worth your time, then work with your lawyers, HR and other stakeholders to dig out the evidence and the story behind the work. Every entry is written around the judging criteria, in plain English, with the proof judges need to score it highly.
Entering legal awards on your behalf is included in the Ruche marketing retainer, so they’re planned across the year alongside your other marketing needs, rather than squeezed in before each deadline. We can also offer this as a standalone service.
Talk to us
Get in touch and we’ll talk it through properly. No pressure, no jargon, just an honest conversation about what your firm actually needs.
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- 2023 to 2026
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