It’s March Madness so we thought it was appropriate to talk about the hype submission are getting too. Every lawyer wants to be ranked the top seed but as we saw this past weekend even the top teams can get knocked out.

Similar to a coach determining which players need to be in the game to get the win, PR professionals need to be strategic and diplomatic when choosing
which attorneys they put forward for rankings and awards. I know it’s tough dealing with attorneys who think they deserve to get their shot, but you are not doing your firm any favors by giving in to people who think they have a chance at getting picked. When in reality, they don’t.

The rankings game is getting more and more competitive and for that reason, editorial teams responsible for reviewing them have become very clear on what they want from us. Whether the nominations are 500 words or 1,000, narrative or lists, it’s critical that anyone you put forward has the matters to back up why he or she should be chosen. That means high profile, newsworthy deals or litigation or novel issues that have changed a law or how an industry operates. In an earlier post, I outlined what Daily Journal Editor David

Houston recommended for all potential candidates. I also provided advice from Chambers Editor Laura Mills on getting on her team’s radar.

It’s temping to respond to all of the rankings. They come at us fast and furious. But, not all of them are worthy of your time, especially if you do not have worthy players with matters who deserve a shot in the spotlight.