MichaelKJR

Chambers and Partners: USA 2026 Experience

I have maintained a professional relationship with Chambers and Partners for a considerable period and can attest to their standing as the most authoritative and widely respected ranking institution in the legal industry. Their research methodology is rigorous, their ranking determinations consistently well-founded, and their analytical insights reliably accurate. My prior engagement had been limited to their UK-based executives; however, their subsequent expansion into the United States market has been a welcome and valuable development for the domestic legal community.

While their annual pricing structure has seen continued increases, presenting certain budgetary considerations on our end it is worth noting that such increases have been accompanied by substantive and measurable service enhancements. On balance, the expenditure remains justifiable given the return on visibility afforded through their USA Guide.

Approximately two years ago, our firm was assigned a dedicated account executive, whose tenure has materially improved the quality of our experience with the organization. We intend to maintain that relationship and strongly prefer her continued designation as our primary point of contact. Louane has demonstrated a level of diligence, professionalism, and subject matter familiarity that merits specific recognition. Notably, her knowledge extended well beyond Chambers' internal processes. She arrived with a thorough understanding of our firm's practice areas, representative matters, and published works, which is uncommon and speaks to her exceptional preparation and commitment.

Her engagement has not been limited to perfunctory annual correspondence. Rather, she has proactively coordinated meetings with our broader team, facilitated in-person consultations, and maintained consistent communication throughout the year. As a direct result of this sustained and substantive engagement, our firm has developed a considerably deeper understanding of the Chambers submission process, yielding more precise and effective submissions and contributing to measurable outcomes this year. Our overall assessment of Chambers and Partners remains highly favorable, and the return on our investment has been demonstrably positive especially as we navigate an increasingly competitive market in NY.

Firm is Blacklisted from our partnership

As a legal vendor trusted by in-house counsel as a third-party validator and advisor on business referrals, I work with Merchant & Gould PC. It has been a very frustrating experience in terms of open communication and, most importantly, professional and respectful communication. The Partners are brilliant and wonderful people; however, they are hindered by political dynamics within the firm, especially by their BD department, which seems to have more authority than the partners. Their CMO, Misty Borg Misterek, is very rude and unpleasant to work with, I would go as far as to say unprofessionally hostile and disrespectful to other well-respected legal professionals.
Despite her 22 years with the firm, I would advise the Managing Partners to restructure their authority, as Misty has caused the firm to be blacklisted from our services, and this misconduct could unfortunately lead to a tainted image for the firm in the legal market. It is unfortunate given their recent efforts to expand into new jurisdictions and open new locations. The attorneys produce excellent results, which are poorly represented by their marketing team. Should the firm continue its outdated and shortsighted views on client service and outside representation, the research projects a failure in strong succession planning for the firm. Please advise your marketing team to conduct themselves accordingly and professionally.

Firm has been blacklisted from our partnership due to unprofessional behavior from CMO

As a legal vendor trusted by in-house counsel as a third-party validator and advisor on business referrals, I work with InfoLawGroup. It has been a very frustrating experience in terms of open communication and, most importantly, professional and respectful communication. The Partners are brilliant and wonderful people; however, they are hindered by political dynamics within the firm, especially by their BD department, which seems to have more authority than the partners. Their CMO, Eva Bongiovanni, is very rude and unpleasant to work with, I would go as far as to say unprofessionally hostile and disrespectful to other well-respected legal professionals.
Despite her years of experience with the firm, I would advise the Managing Partners to restructure their authority and political dynamics, as Eva has caused the firm to be blacklisted from our services, and this misconduct could unfortunately lead to a tainted image for the firm in the legal market. Eva is condescending, derogatory, disrespectful, and very difficult to work with. She does not allow you to speak without interruption, and despite her intelligence, it is nearly impossible to properly advise the firm. I work directly with hundreds of top legal firms globally and never have I experienced this kind of disrespect during what was meant to be a neutral, respectful, and relational conversation. It was very unsettling for her to behave as a cross-examiner during our meeting. There is no need to treat people as though they are on a witness stand, especially given her marketing position.
It is unfortunate to see a firm with so much potential, staffed with tier-one talent, allow a marketing department to determine how the firm is represented in the legal market. The attorneys produce excellent results, which are poorly represented by their marketing team. Should the firm continue its outdated and shortsighted views on client service and outside representation, our research projects a failure in strong succession planning for the firm. Please advise your marketing team to conduct themselves accordingly and professionally.