Why do We Participate in Directory Rankings Research?

Written by Mumtaz Hussain

It’s not often that I write a blatant “how great is my team” blog, but in light of the recently released Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 rankings, I felt it would be remiss of me not to do just that.

First, some context would be helpful. When I joined the team here at Anthony Gold, England (and much of the rest of the world for that matter) was under lockdown because of Covid-19, so I could not therefore meet anyone in person. This caused me to reflect upon the parallels between my own experience starting a new role with an unfamiliar team, and that of a new client into the department. For a new client in a law firm, this type of interaction is often referred to as a “distress purchase”.

Our team of legal experts is renowned for successfully representing clients who need urgent and, crucially, sympathetic legal advice, after having sustained severe injuries from a catastrophic set of circumstances.

The reason this is called a “distress purchase” for the client is because the process of finding a solicitor to represent you is markedly different from, say, choosing a holiday destination, or choosing a restaurant for a meal. Those are fun things to research. Finding a solicitor to help you or your loved one, in what can often be a struggle for justice after having had a limb amputated, or a brain injury, is an added worrying aspect to an already distressing scenario.

Previously people would be most likely to ask for recommendations from family and friends. Nowadays it’s more likely that people will turn to google and other search engines to find a suitable legal representative. This will often take the searcher to one or both of the legal directories as well as other publications such as The Times Best Law Firms 2021.

Both the Clinical Negligence team and the Personal Injury team here at Anthony Gold appear in the top bands of each of the legal directories. The Band 2 ranked Clinical Negligence team is referred to by Chambers and Partners as being “incredibly impressive,” and “They are client-centred and focused.”

The Legal 500 which has ranked the Clinical Negligence team in tier 2, quotes an anonymous source as saying: ‘Personal service of a high quality with all members of the team well versed in terms of the case. This is a very efficient team who know the case details well for each case and they are very supportive of clients. They do what they say they will do and do so promptly.’

Furthermore, with reference to the Personal Injury team, ranked at the highest level in both directories, (Tier 1 and Band 1) the Legal 500 states that the team is “‘A first rate outfit, which consistently manages to punch above its weight. AG is led by some of the best partners in the business and is able to attract work of the highest quality. Able to deliver a first class service across the whole range of personal injury claims, from fast track to multi-million catastrophic injury claims.’

Similarly the Chambers and Partners directory quotes an anonymous client as saying “They are efficient; we are very pleased – a really positive experience,” while another source reports “They are solid and reliable. I have recommended them.”

These comments and the many others that are not quoted here in this particular blog, are always a pleasure to read. Our team takes great pride in their work and from a human perspective, it’s very natural and instinctive to feel a sense of satisfaction in reading these reviews.

However, there is another much more significant reason our team participates in the directories’ extensive research programmes. In actively partaking in the investigations conducted by the two directories, we aim to allay any anxieties that our clients, both current and future, may have about approaching us to manage their legal case.

We are fully aware that it’s a big decision and we want our clients to have access to independent and impartial reviews that help them feel reassured that instructing us to handle their case is the right decision.

Disclaimer: The information on the Anthony Gold website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. It is provided without any representations or warranties, express or implied.*