Merging your law practice

Before answering this question, perhaps we should define “mergers.” An amalgamation between firms or companies of similar size in which either the members of the merging firms exchange their shares for shares in a new firm or body.

The merger of two or more law practices is the equivalent of a business marriage. A merger must never be thought of as the magic solution to existing problems; more importantly, it should not be contemplated in bad times, after all, who would want to merge with a practice which is in distress?

Does any business situation create more tension than the joining of two distinct organisations cultures into one? A thoughtful merger integration process will help ensure that the combined operations create greater value than the individual organisations working independently. The merger process can be an exhausting and gruelling experience. It can be stressful for the principal / partners / directors / members, making employees nervous and clients cautious. Finding the right merging partner, covering all the potential problem areas and keeping everybody on side is far from simple.