Lisa Smith is quoted: Most often, firms are somewhere between black box and totally transparent, and many are finding what they view as a happy medium on that spectrum, according to Lisa Smith, a law firm strategy and management consultant at Fairfax Associates.

Lisa Smith is quoted “I think people miss it more than they expected,” she said.

Kristin Stark is quoted discussing how practice heads are serving as “mini-managing partners” as law firms fight to maintain business continuity and ensure cohesion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lisa Smith is quoted. “The risk is always if the group splits – that people will make their own choices and say, ‘There may be a deal, but I’m a free agent,'” Smith at Fairfax, says.

Lisa Smith is quoted. “An interesting aspect of this [M&A activity] is that you may have fewer choices,” Smith says.

Lisa Smith is quoted. “Every firm I have spoken to that meets the size criteria says they’re applying,” said Lisa Smith, a principal at the law firm consultancy Fairfax Associates. “You can probably throw a dart to any firm with 200 lawyers and probably find one.”

Lisa Smith is quoted. “From what we’ve seen, most of the discussions that were happening have had to be put on hold. A lot of it does rely on face-to-face meetings,” Smith said. “For good reason, firms are very much focused on business continuity and operating their firms successfully. The ability to have the bandwidth to look at merger discussions as well as manage a business effectively just isn’t there.”

Lisa Smith questions whether a city like Boston can be considered insulated anymore because of how many national firms have set up shop there.

Lisa Smith is quoted. “These were all firms that were performing well, have good rates and strong balance sheets and all those things,” Lisa Smith, a consultant at Fairfax Associates, said of the recent mergers. “these firms are operating from a position of strength in that they didn’t have to do anything.”

Kristin Stark is quoted discussing the impact of merger related growth of larger firms in smaller Midwest legal markets.