Lisa Smith is quoted “It’s hard to grow substantially when you’re growing organically. It takes longer, is more difficult, and is more expensive,” Smith said.

“But Fairfax principal Lisa Smith expects that the pace of mergers will rise next year, as firms look to increase market share and enhance their depth and scale. She’s heard from a number of firms engaged in discussions, and expects that it will be easier to pursue in-person meetings to ease along the process in 2022.”

“Another draw for Austin is geography, Smith said. Texas has multiple business centers, and to be effective, many firms decide they need multiple offices, such as one in Dallas and another in Austin.”

Kristin Stark is quoted on international firm presence: “In order for an international presence to be successful for any firm… the international presence has to be driven by a particular practice or the firm’s client base…”