Choose Market Leadership
Our clients are legal industry leaders who seek to outperform their competitors. They turn to Zeughauser Group to increase competitive advantage and profitability, enhance market position, and strengthen organizational culture. Our consulting team of former Global 25 law firm chairs, general counsel, and leading law firm CMOs has represented nearly 80% of the 100 largest US law firms by revenue.
Read moreLAW FIRM MERGERS: LESSONS FROM SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS
Excerpts from the book written by Kent M. Zimmerman and John E. Morris
Learn moreApril 2022
Former Gibson Dunn Chair Ron Beard Dies at 82
Beard spent 38 years at Gibson Dunn, serving as chair from 1991 to 2001 and managing partner from 1991 to 1997. He anticipated the current hyper-competitive law firm marketplace and he helped set Gibson Dunn on its trajectory to become one of the largest firms in the world. A corporate lawyer, he was known for his diversified practice and his global outlook. Upon stepping down from Gibson Dunn, he worked at Zeughauser Group as a consultant. Peter Zeughauser describes him as the inspiration for the practice, noting that Beard was his first client. "He was a pioneer of client-facing activity and one of the first chairs to go out and do client service interviews."
Read moreMarch 2022
How Can Midsize Firms Measure Success Against Am Law Standouts?
Law firm leaders are keen to compare their results to those of other firms, but that can be a challenge in a segmented market. Mobility-minded lawyers might pay extra attention to the profits per equity partner figures and start to wonder whether they could make more at another. Similarly, some law firm leaders are tempted to compare their metrics with those of other firms. Mary K Young observes that firms that aren’t keeping pace with a growing market will face significant consequences with talent, and the challenge for midsize law firms is to understand the markets and the source of competitive advantage.
Read moreApril 2022
Regional Firms Seek Mergers to ‘Stay Relevant’ as Big Law Swarms
Small and regional law firms are looking to mergers to ward off competition from larger rivals, as a new tie-up in Virginia shows. Woods Rogers and Vandeventer Black are merging to create a regional firm of 130 lawyers in five Virginia offices.
The merger reflects an uptick in interest in combinations after the Covid-19 pandemic slowed the pace of tie-ups. Kent Zimmermann notes that multiple Am Law 50 firms are talking to each other about merging, as are many Am Law 100 and 200 firms. “Our merger practice is busier than it’s been in 20 years by about four times,” Zimmermann said. “As a large group of firms have grown extensively and gotten more profitable, their historic peers don’t want to be left behind and want to hit the accelerator on growth.”
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