Fairfax in the Press

Lisa Smith is quoted: “For Midwestern firms, consolidating in the region gives them a good platform across multiple states, where there are often business ties, so it helps …

Lisa Smith is quoted: Although some merger deals have been announced and executed virtually in 2020, Smith expressed doubt that a major merger between two large firms could be pulled off without more in-person contact than is currently feasible.

Lisa Smith is quoted: Smith, of Fairfax, also said trends within a given year are sometimes a more helpful indicator about the market’s health, as the comparisons between different quarters of different years can “over-amplify uneven patterns.”

Lisa Smith quoted: Firms are keenly focused on the value of the cybersecurity and private practice because they understand how valuable it is to clients, said Lisa Smith, a firm consultant at Fairfax Associates in Washington, D.C. Smith said when she talks to her law firm clients about their strategic goals, the practice is frequently at the top of their wish list.

Lisa Smith is quoted “This is one change a lot of lawyers think will stick,” said Lisa Smith, principal at Washington, D.C.-based legal consulting firm Fairfax Associates.

Lisa Smith is quoted “for innovation roles it really helps to have someone who understands the firm and the practice of law,” said Lisa Smith of Fairfax Associates.

Lisa Smith is quoted “A lot of firms are looking ahead, trying to think about what makes sense, and how lawyers have evolved their approach to practice,” said Lisa Smith, a principal at Washington, D.C.-based FairfaxAssociates. “To some extent, the firms that don’t do that, do that at their own peril…

Fairfax is quoted “The decline in the number of mergers this year has been driven by a number of pandemic-related factors,” Fairfax said in a news release. “However, many firms remain committed to growth and expansion and are continuing to explore merger options. As a result, we anticipate that merger activity will resume to more typical levels in 2021.”

Lisa Smith and Fairfax merger data is quoted: “Lisa Smith…said in an interview that she expects the number of completed mergers in 2021 will “certainly” beat the 2020 numbers…”

Fairfax merger data is cited: Fairfax’s April 1 report …anticipated “an uptick in active discussions in the coming months and a return to higher levels of completed mergers by the end of 2021 or early 2022.”

Lisa Smith is quoted: Midsize firms will likely experience relatively flat revenue, but they could see another year of strong profit growth because of continued expense savings for the first two-thirds of 2021, said Lisa Smith of Fairfax Associates, who advises law firms nationally.

Lisa Smith is quoted: “The interest in combinations is extremely high, and we’ve already, just in the last week, gotten inquiries from multiple firms trying to look at their options and trying to figure out strategy and merger options for the year,”