Nomination period: 11 May – 26 June 2026, 11:59 pm ET

Eligibility for 2026: Nominees must have been born in 1986 or later

Process overview: risingstarscanada.com/process

 

Submitting Nominations

How do I submit a nomination?

All nominations must be submitted through the official online nominations portal. Email and other formats are not accepted. There is no fee to submit, and only the online nomination form will be accepted.

Who can be nominated?

Lexpert Rising Stars awards honour lawyers from law firms, in-house departments, government, and academia across Canada. Members of the legal profession in Canada are invited to nominate qualified lawyers who have made outstanding contributions in their careers thus far. To be considered, nominees must be licensed in Canada as an in-house or private practice lawyer.

What are the form requirements?

• A separate nomination form is required for each nominee.
• All fields are mandatory and character limits apply.
• No additional materials beyond the completed nomination form will be forwarded to the judges.

What makes a strong nomination?

• Emphasize accomplishments across the entire career.
• Use concise bullet points rather than long paragraphs.
• Consider prioritizing candidates who are 40 or close to turning 40.

How many nominations can we submit? Is there a limit per firm?

There is no formal limit on the number of nominees per firm. However, volume is counterproductive — quality over quantity is strongly encouraged. Firms that put forward a diverse slate across geography, practice area, gender, and background tend to perform better.

Eligibility

Who can nominate?

There are no criteria on who can submit a nomination beyond what is explicitly stated on the awards website and nomination forms. There are no unwritten rules about what can or cannot be included.

Can a nominee nominate themselves?

No. Self-nominations are not accepted for Lexpert Rising Stars.

Can someone be nominated again if they were previously nominated or won?

Previous winners of Rising Stars awards are not eligible to be nominated again. However, previously unsuccessful candidates can and should be nominated again — repeated nominations may signal that a candidate is well-regarded.

Can judges nominate?

Yes. Judges may nominate. 

Process and Outcomes

What happens if multiple nominations are submitted for the same person?

Nominators are encouraged to collaborate in advance to avoid duplicates. When multiple nominations are received for the same person, the internal team selects one submission to forward to the judges. No additional materials will be forwarded.

Can the nominee be told they are being nominated?

Yes — nominators are encouraged to inform nominees about their nomination. If you are nominating a lawyer outside of your organization, please ensure they are made aware.

Are there finalist notifications?

No. There are no finalist notifications for Rising Stars. Winners are notified before the public announcement, but the total number of winners is not shared until all are announced.

Who is notified at the end of the process?

Winners and their nominators are notified.

How is confidentiality handled?

Nomination content is not published without consulting the winners first. The identity of nominators and the detailed contents of nominations are never disclosed.

How do judges handle conflicts of interest?

Judges do not vote for candidates from their own organization.

Can you explain why a candidate was unsuccessful?

No. Specific feedback on individual nominations is not provided.

For full process details, visit risingstarscanada.com/process.

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