The Legal 500 published last week (14 September) its UK guide.  Law firms across the country eagerly anticipated the findings, celebrating and commiserating often in equal measure. 

Law firms' PR machines swiftly spring into action.

Coast has for the past decade has worked with the team at The Legal 500 (and its sister title Legal Business magazine) helping it with its PR activity. 

The Legal 500 supports some 30 dedicated legal supplements in our largest regional newspapers, plus many hundreds of reports in other regional titles and the professional media. 

Firms are very good at pulling out the quotes from the research and using them online, on social media and in pitch documents.  

But what more can firms do with their Legal 500 rankings now that the dust is settling, and how can they make the most of their submissions? 

Consider the following: 

- Use an abbreviated or reworked version of the submission documents as a guide to the firm for new members of staff and trainees.

- Consider also using a reworked version of the submissions as a briefing document for recruiters. It will help them better understand your firm.

- Use rankings and recommendations throughout the year in everyday PR activity - for example, article sign-offs, press release quotes. 

- And why not consider a fee premium for those individuals and teams ranked at the very top of their field.