The Legal 500
Readership Research
Demographics
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2,536 respondents
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18.2% financial services
10.5% Energy and natural
resources
6.3% Manufacturing
5.2% Consumer goods
5.1% Insurance
4.7% Real estate
3.9% Transport
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Size of department
1-5
32.4%
6 – 10
15.8%
11 – 25
20.2%
26 – 50
12.3%
51 – 100
10.1%
100+
9.2%
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Size of company turnover
$10bn+
15.8%
$5.1 – 10.6bn
7.3%
$1.1 – 5bn
19.8%
$500 – 999m
12.2%
$100 - %499m
11.3%
$50 – 99m
9.2%
Less than $50m
24.4%
Location
US – 22.4%
Usage of the Legal 500
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How often do you use the Legal 500?
Daily - 3%
Weekly - 8%
Monthly - 38%
Annually - 36%
First visit/not used before - 15%
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Have you referred to a legal directory recommendation before instructing a law firm?
Yes – 69%
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Have you used Legal 500 to help choose a law firm to instruct?
Yes – 66%
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Have you used Legal 500 to instruct a law firm outside your home jurisdiction?
Yes – 48%
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Do you use the Legal 500 for:
Primary research – 68%
Validation – 32%
Usage of the Legal 500
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Do you prefer Legal 500:
Online – 66%
In print – 31%
eBook – 3%
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Purpose of visit to Legal 500 website?
To look up a ranking of a firm I’m considering working with – 35%
To look up a ranking of a firm I’m instructing – 26%
To look for a firm for a specific piece of work in my jurisdiction – 8%
To look for a firm in a jurisdiction outside of my own – 19%
To look for a specific lawyer – 21%
To look for a specific practice area – 14%
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How easy is the site to navigate?
Easy – 92%
Legal 500 vs. other research guides
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Have you used other legal directories in the past 12 weeks?
IFLR – 14%
Best lawyers – 7%
Chambers – 64%
Super lawyers – 3%
Not used other legal directories – 28%
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Of the directories you have used, which do you prefer?
Legal 500 – 48%
Chambers – 39%
IFLR 1000 – 2%
Best lawyers – 2%
Super lawyers 1%
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Do you read any of the following on www.legal500.com?
Law firm profiles – 77%
Lawyer profiles – 74%
Published articles/legal developments – 34%
Press releases – 31%
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Would you like to see any of the following in The Legal 500?
Searchable lawyer profiles/biographies – 72%
Links to firms websites – 66%
Extended law firm information – 60%
Published articles from law firms – 38%
Law firm webinars/podcasts – 32%
Information on law firm events – 27%
Law firm annual reports – 23%
Interviews with managing partners/practice heads – 28%
Summary
• General counsel use Legal 500 regularly
• Use Legal 500 to help choose a law firm
• Use Legal 500 for primary research
• Online is primary source of information, but print still important
• Read law firm profiles, published articles and press releases
• Want more information on firms
• Prefer Legal 500 to all research guides