Law firm mergers seemingly are announced weekly and continue a trend as to which most observers are accustomed. Just last week Locke Lord and Edwards Wildman Palmer jointly announced the signing of a letter of intent to combine their two firms. Not all law firm mergers are marriages of equals, or instances when the strategic
For Law Firms Everywhere, These Are Transitional Times
Times of transition are strenuous, but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge, rethink priorities, and be intentional about new habits. We can make our new normal any way we want. – Kristin Armstrong
The recent closing of the Toledo, Ohio law firm of Cooper and Kowalski provides another reminder of the
Law Firms and Big Ten Football-Leadership and Disruption
The Big Ten had a tough go of it last weekend in college football. Both Michigan and Michigan State failed to step up to challenges against non-Big Ten teams. In the Horseshoe, Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech in a contest pitting the Big Ten against the Atlantic Coast Conference. The weekend’s results again raise
Law Firm Leadership and Merger-Finding the Right Fit
Although this year’s transactions generally are smaller deals, the robust law firm merger market of 2013 has been continued into 2014. Mergers grab headlines, create excitement and almost always provide the merged firm a little boost from the afterglow of positive publicity. Unfortunately, any positive vibe from a merger will not last forever. And more
Law Firm Transition-Timing is Critical
Legal industry veteran Eric Fletcher takes the view that law firms perpetually are in transition. Certainly, in the changing legal environment that has existed since 2008, transition among law firms is common. Law firms in transition can face any number of business altering decisions, whether they be fundamental adjustments to its business strategy, considering merger,
A Law Firm Leader’s Dilemma
Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny. -Aristotle
In a recent post I suggested some of the unique characteristics associated with effective law firm leadership. Today, let’s look
Merging with Goliath-Key Considerations for the Smaller Law Firm
News about the search for a merger partner by Bingham McCutcheon has been in the media the past few weeks. If the search leads Bingham to the altar, its transaction likely will be among parties equally sophisticated and aware of the intricacies of law firm merger. After all, Bingham owes its current size to a
Law Firm Succession Planning – Five Common Mistakes
The issue of succession planning at law firms has received the attention of commentators and I have written about it as well. Demographically, the need among law firms to address succession is mounting as the boomer generation ages. Because the number of firms facing succession issues increase with each passing year, planning at firms
The Unique Challenges of a Law Firm Leader
A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today there will be reams written and distributed on the idea of leadership. Characteristics, success factors, how to become one, how to identify one – you can find scores of articles on multiple facets of the
Merging Your Law Firm As A Succession Plan-Five Key Considerations
Every year law firms of all sizes merge. For some of the smaller law firms merging, the decision to combine may have been driven by the need for an effective succession plan. In these cases in which long-time management is unenthused about the prospect of turning the keys over the next generation, merger can