Merger is a frequent law firm activity, especially in recent years. Based on a recent review of Altman Weil’s MergerLine, over 600 mergers and acquisitions have closed since 2007. While not all the deals identified by MergerLine have been true mergers, many of the “non-mergers” nonetheless have been significant because they represent the near full
Law Firm Merger-Four Key Stages to Success
Law firm growth gets a lot of attention. Among the various approaches to law firm growth is the tactic of merger. Almost weekly we are treated to another announcement about two law firms fulfilling their desire to grow by combining. And although law firm mergers have been part of the landscape for years, since the
Law Firm Culture and Stability
Is culture something entirely different?
Here’a a working hypothesis for today’s conversation: you can’t help it – every firm has a culture. However, for law firm leadership the concern should be less about good versus bad, and more about ensuring a culture that is aligned with the aspirations of those wth whom you wish to
Preparing Your Law Firm for the Future-Don’t Confuse Tactics with Strategy
Superficial solutions to the long-term challenges law firms face are seldom lasting. The right answers only come through disciplined strategic thinking that projects beyond a looming horizon. Unfortunately, some thinking in the guise of being strategic is anything but. And for the law firms trying to position themselves past that horizon, misinterpreting motion for progress
Law Firm Lateral Hiring: Preparing for the Upcoming Free Agent Season
As law firms prepare for the last half of 2016, the ingredients for the lateral hiring stew are being added. Firm and individual lawyer performance on the year, bonus expectations and realization, internal law firm management and politics-all will be factors in determining individual lawyer contentment. The same factors, viewed from management’s perspective, will drive
The Bullseye and Law Firm Success
“Focusing is about saying No!” Steve Jobs
I was reviewing an article regarding the an Annual America’s Best Corporate Law Firms study and was struck with how consistent the same names appear on this list — year in and year out. Even if you haven’t seen it, chances are you can name many of
Managing Excess Law Firm Growth-Spinning Off the Struggling Office
Law firm growth is a popular strategy or tactic among law firms seeking to compete in today’s ultra competitive legal services market. Growth often is achieved through mergers, practice group acquisitions and lateral hiring. And in some cases, the growth initiatives result in new offices being opened in markets previously not served. New
Moving Laterally? – Being Careful is More Important Than Ever
Movement of attorneys between law firms is as robust as ever with today’s lateral hiring not just focusing on the hiring of individuals. Firms seeking to fill out capabilities often hire away groups of lawyers in an effort to gain some velocity from their expansion strategy. True mergers, especially when a large firm is eyeing
Slowing the Law Firm Churn
Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee who made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. No, I replied, I just spent $600,000 training him. Why would I want somebody to hire his experience? THOMAS J. WATSON SR.
How many lawyers have you watched move from one firm to
Law Firm Merger-Four Rules to Follow
Mergers between law firms garner headlines. Just last week, Kansas City’s Husch Blackwell was in the news when it announced that it was merging with Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C., a Wisconsin based business and litigation firm. The merger comes less than year after Husch Blackwell’s Chairman Maurice Watson described the firm’s newly adopted strategy