TIPS ON HOW TO FILL OUT AN EXCELLENT SUBMISSION FORM

PRACTIAL EVIDENCE

Audience = our researchers

• While we have training, you cannot compare it to your level of expertise. Our expertise is in research and assessment

Rankings = competitive

• Be sure to include your best work in your submission 
• Quality over quantity

Context

• Why was the case so innovative or impactful?
• Explain in terms of your jurisdiction (something standard in one jurisdiction might not be in another jurisdiction)
• Client names: not mandatory to give the names of clients in deals, but it does help give context
• Your firm’s role – e.g. were you the lead adviser or a local referral?
• Deal values: not compulsory but it can be very helpful in giving context
• Option to say “more than X amount” to give some idea of the scope and size of the matter.

Questions you can answer

• What benefit did it give to your client
• Methods used
• Capability
• Why did you include this matter
• Any new technologies arise from this case?
• Did it have a market influence such as an effect on policy?

Ranking tables

• Send us cases that reflect different practice areas (Indirect tax, Tax controversy, Transfer pricing, etc.) to be considered for ranking under the different tables

Confidentiality

• Highlight in RED
• We promise not to publish any confidential information

One, two or even more forms?

• You can use a single form for all submissions, if it is easier for you
• You can also submit multiple forms (one for general corporate tax, one for transfer pricing and one each for every other practice area listed), so 15 case deals for each practice area as long as these are submitted in separate forms.

LEADERS GUIDES

• You can list your outstanding individuals for consideration for the World Tax Leaders, but this does not guarantee includsion. Ideally, they should be linked to a case deal they have worked on as evidence

CLIENT REFEREES

Include client contacts:

• You know will respond
• That have had a positive client experience with you
• Who know the market; most senior does not always mean best
• Who know you – both your advisers and your firm
• Who can give accurate details of how you worked with them
• Who are able to give feedback that is constructive and comparative

Completing the research form

To complete the form, please follow the instructions detailed within it. This information should fully explain what should be contained in each section.

Qualitative, not quantitative

• Because our research is qualitative, not quantitative, we are not looking for a full list of work done by firms. Rankings are determined by the type and quality of work being done, not the amount. That is why we only want the highlights
• Cases chosen for inclusion should only be so because they represent the most impressive standard of work currently being completed by a firm.
• A submission with just two or three landmark cases included is of more value from a ranking perspective than one with 15 relatively-vanilla ones.

More ≠ Better

• We limit the number of cases per submission primarily to ensure they remain digestible for the researchers, so we do not receive unwieldy submissions that are 50+ pages long.
• But given we welcome multiple submissions from firms if they feel that better represents their practice, some see this as an opportunity to simply submit more cases. So, instead of one submission with 15 they can submit two and include 30, or even six and include 90 different cases, in the hope this will improve their submission.
• In reality, the opposite is almost always true.
• Because a firm submits more cases, that does not mean it will be given more consideration. Researchers will allot roughly the same amount of time to go through each firm's submission in a jurisdiction. So if a firm submits two forms including 15 cases on each, this doesn't mean the researcher will spend twice as much time going through its work, it means they will spend half as much time looking through each case.
• Allowing firms to make multiple submissions is a way to allow them to submit in a way that best reflects their work. So if they have a speciality in a particular field, or the structure of the practice is such that there is a clear divide between, e.g. the tax and TP practice, with different practitioners operating in each and neither advising on matters outside their own field, then the multiple submissions allow for firms to highlight this.

Please provide us with as much information about matters as possible. Please ensure all confidential information is highlighted in RED. Any information not highlighted in RED will be considered public and may be used by researchers in editorial coverage in both the guides and online.