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
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
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
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
Law Firm Merger-A Succession Planning Alternative
In recent years, law firm mergers have been on the uptick and do not seem to be abating. Big mergers reap a lot of publicity because the firms joining together often have household names. But as Catherine Ho reports, not all the law firm mergers involve the behemoths that grab the headlines. Ms. Ho’s
Law Firm Merger Diligence-Client Compatibility
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
Law Firm Merger Diligence-Are the Compensation Systems Compatible?
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
Law Firm Merger Diligence–Are the Financial Metrics Compatible?
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 Merger Diligence–Are the Cultures Compatible?
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
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Resolving Law Firm Transition By Merger–Important Compatibility Issues for Management’s Consideration
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.
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