“When a law firm embarks on a plan to grow, ultimate success … [directly relates to] leadership’s ability to make the right decisions while navigating the high seas of growth.”
from Decisions That Matter: Tales of Law Firm Leadership in Moments of Consequence
It is not unusual to hear “Growth” as the response when law
As more law firm mergers are announced, the idea of pursuing a merger crosses many a law firm leader’s mind. The idea of grabbing greater market share, entering distant markets, bolstering capabilities, or addressing succession can spur thoughts of combination. Those potential results or outcomes can seem compelling and cause a firm to jump into
Despite the seemingly “good” year that 2018 was for many law firms, experience tells us that ”good” can be a relative thing. While 2018 performance data compares favorably to the data from the prior years following the Great Recession, all is not completely rosy. Today’s law firms face more competition than ever as market share is shrinking, and the industry is being disrupted in multiple ways.
The recently released Thomson Reuters State of the Legal Market 2019report provides some industry information about how the 2018 results should be viewed. The report concludes that despite good results last year, a robust round of “high-fives” should be tempered. As Thomson Reutersnotes, shared competitive industry information, technological advances, client control of legal service use and terms, greater competition among law firms and other resources, have all greatly altered the legal services market. This change in landscape has, among other things, stimulated a war for talent, causing valuable lawyers with valuable clients to move from one firm to the next in free-agency run wild.
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, the incidence
It almost seems like a broken record to hear about the popularity of law firm mergers. Legal industry publications report on the latest mergers and hot market trends. Indeed, just recently The American Lawyerreviewed the merger opportunities that abound for mid-size firms in its Mid-size Firm Leaders Awash in Big Law Merger Offers.
Law firm mergers happen-a lot. While the mega mergers get the publicity, many mergers stay under the radar because they involve smaller firms being absorbed by larger firms. Whether for reasons of market dynamics, succession, or battling for growth, some smaller firms simply conclude that life will be better as part of a bigger shop.
Law firm mergers have been in the news with combinations being announced seemingly every week. So far in 2018, the many mergers closed have drawn the attention of the media and law firm leaders alike. The rationale for any of the announced mergers depends on the specific transaction and the firms involved. Whatever the reason,
The spring of 2018 has produced a spate of large law firm mergers. Despite this noticeable activity, the interest in mergers is not something new-over 600 mergers and acquisitions have closed since 2007. Based on the tactic’s popularity among firm leaders seeking a competitive edge, we can expect more mergers in the future.
For law
Already 2018 has proven to be a time for law firm merger. Since the beginning of the year we have been treated to a constant series of announcements about law firms combining. And although law firm mergers have been part of the landscape for years, the increase in law firm mergers shows its growing popularity
Tis the season, but holidays are not involved. Rather, market forces, activity and trends confirm that law firm merger is on the minds of law firms. While mergers once seemed to happen mostly around the start of the year, the complexity of the merger exercise means mergers can happen at any time. And even for
