NEW YORK, Aug. 7 LAWFUEL – Law News Release Service — With the recent completion of the combination of McCarter & English, LLP and Gadsby Hannah LLP, legal search firm Maguire Consulting (www.maguiresearch.com) has emerged as a player in the law firm merger arena.
Established in 1998, the Manhattan-headquartered Maguire is a full-service, retainer-based legal search and consulting organization, whose offerings for the legal community range from lateral partner placements to practice group lift-outs and full-scale mergers.
Bridget Maguire, the firm’s founder and president, introduced McCarter to the 64-attorney, Gadsby Hannah and represented McCarter throughout the process, which began with a search for merger opportunities in Boston. Upon completion of its latest and largest merger on June 1, McCarter now has 430 attorneys in eight Northeast Corridor offices spanning from Boston to Baltimore. Founded over 160 years ago, McCarter is New Jersey’s oldest and largest law firm.
“The United States has seen a resurgence of law firm mergers since 2000 and, as the number of legal mergers continues to rise, our team of established experts is equipped to facilitate these expansion opportunities for law firms around the globe,” said Ms. Maguire. “Law firms are continuously in search of ways to stay at the forefront of the competition, and mergers, combinations and practice group lift-outs are among the best ways to strengthen a firm and increase revenues.”
She added, however, that law firm combinations at every level involve considerable teamwork, collaboration and strategic negotiation. “Many times, unforeseen circumstances arise when firms combine and when laterals transition. Our approach to mergers, combinations and lateral recruiting is rooted in our depth of understanding of our client needs,” noted Ms. Maguire. “We spend considerable time getting to know our clients before we begin working for them.
“A successful merger or combination has to meet the strategic growth needs of both firms, without compromising the core practice areas or culture of either firm,” she continued. “Successful mergers and combinations in the legal marketplace require a balanced degree of patience and persistence, to ensure all parties are well-informed throughout the entire process.”
