Articles

Big Law Business | I’ve been exploring the relevance of Porter’s Five Forces in recent blog posts. One of those forces – Threat of Substitutes – has the potential to be a disruptor for the legal industry. While professional rules have protected the legal industry from many competitive forces, that is starting to change.

Big Law Business | In a recent post, I noted that a Harvard Business Review article published in 1979 has gained relevancy for the legal industry as a way to evaluate competitive forces and their impact on profitability.

Big Law Business | In an effort to grow in a relatively low growth market, firms continue to invest substantial leadership time and energy in pursuit of merger. Yet, the success rates are low.

Big Law Business | Merger activity remains high. Between January 1st and March 31st of 2015, there were 19 completed mergers among law firms with a minimum of five lawyers, according to research conducted by Fairfax Associates.

Big Law Business | For years we have tried to adapt traditional business strategy to the law firm environment. Sometimes that worked and sometimes it didn’t.

Law Practice Today | Thinking about international strategy is no longer the preserve of a small minority of firms. More than 200 law firms now have international offices, including 119 of the largest US firms (as reported by the National Law Journal).

Big Law Business | At Fairfax Associates we tracked 49 completed/effective mergers that involved at least one U.S. firm and with a minimum of five lawyers in 2015.

Big Law Business | As we head in to the last weeks of the year, it looks like merger activity among law firms for 2015 will be close to the level of the last two years. Through the 3rd quarter of 2015 we tracked 42 completed mergers in the U.S., compared to 49 through the 3rd quarter of 2014 and 48 through the 3rd quarter of 2013.

Big Law Business | I’ve been exploring the relevance of Porter’s Five Forces in recent blog posts. One of those forces – Threat of Substitutes – has the potential to be a disruptor for the legal industry. While professional rules have protected the legal industry from many competitive forces, that is starting to change.

Big Law Business | In a recent post, I noted that a Harvard Business Review article published in 1979 has gained relevancy for the legal industry as a way to evaluate competitive forces and their impact on profitability.