Law Firm Merger

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A law firm considering a merger has a lot to think about.  Evaluating the differing cultures, financial metrics and compensation systems is a must. Merging two law firms without vetting the client fit is not only unwise, but it also is not likely to end well. Yet, finding an acceptable match in the…

Last week was noteworthy because two major anticipated mergers were called off; Orrick/Pillsbury due to reported conflicts and Dentons/McKenna for what may be best described as “cultural reasons.”  But even if there were no conflict issues and cultures meshed well between two firms, most proposed mergers won’t get to a closing if their respective compensation…

Mergers of law firms garner a great deal of press and comment.  As noted by Debra Cassens Weiss, law firm mergers during 2013 have been numerous. Robert Denney’s Primer on Law Firm Mergers provides a useful guide about approaching law firm mergers.  Just last week, yet another merger was reported, this one involving…

Law firm mergers are being announced all the time.  As we saw in Jennifer Smith’s Big Law Mergers Questioned, their unveiling tends to stimulate extensive discussion.  The pace of mergers is ahead of last year and as Catherine Ho wrote in Law Firms Experience Big Jump in Mergers, the number of combinations in 2013 is noteworthy. Mergers of regional firms, mergers of firms with international reach, mergers borne of strategic vision and potential mergers possibly encouraged by necessity—reasons aplenty seem to be fueling the current merger activity.

A successful merger depends on a lot of things, not the least of which is the ease and thoroughness with which
Continue Reading Law Firm Merger Diligence–Are the Cultures Compatible?

To merge, or not to merge? That is the question. More and more law firms face that issue these days. We often advise law firms facing that watershed possibility and take them from considering merger in the abstract to addressing its reality. But as Larry Bodine and Robert Denney recently reported, roughly 50% of mergers fail. Consequently, properly evaluating a potential merger is extremely important. A flawed analysis, a few undeserved assumptions or allowing momentum to overtake critical examination can doom a merger to failure. Conversely, a lack of confidence in a proposed merger because a systematic and thorough analysis was not performed can be a lost opportunity for both firms.
Continue Reading Resolving Law Firm Transition By Merger–Important Compatibility Issues for Management’s Consideration

Law firm growth through merger has been popular in recent years and does not appear to be abating.  Each consummated marriage had its reasons, ranging from client centered, substantively compelling or geographically helpful. Some combinations proved quite successful, others moderately so, while a few could be judged as failures.

Deciding whether to combine law firms requires intense analysis that will be dictated by the situation. Besides the usual metrics of revenues, expenses, headcount, practice expansion and the like, law firm leaders face more intangible issues, such as whether disparate practices can coexist, whether some clients’ incompatibility precludes their being served under one banner, or whether strong personalities can get along. These issues can be tough to resolve and it takes a great deal of work to sort through them successfully.

Other issues are not so tough to assess. In fact, there are certain issues, Danger Signs if you will, that augur against any combination if they cannot be resolved with adequate certainty and confidence. If these Danger Signs exist, be prepared to run away from the combination.

If You Don’t Know How You Will Integrate the Firms, Don’t Combine Them. One of the most difficult tasks in trying to make two law firms or
Continue Reading Thinking About a Law Firm Merger? If These Six Signs Exist, Give it Another Thought