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Firm Performance
The final article in the Beyond Practice Management series explores how mergers and acquisitions are reshaping mid-sized law firms. Building on the impact of private equity, Eric Thurston examines why consolidation has become a strategic imperative—and how firms are using M&A to control their future.
By Eric Thurston, President & CEO, SurePoint Technologies
Part of SurePoint’s Beyond Practice Management: The Future of Firm Performance blog series
In the previous article, SurePoint President & CEO Eric Thurston explored how private equity is reshaping the legal landscape. Now, he turns to another powerful force transforming the mid-market: mergers and acquisitions.
Consolidation is no longer a trend—it’s a strategic imperative. For mid-sized law firms, the M&A equation is about more than growth. It’s about survival, scale, and the ability to meet the rising expectations of clients, talent, and the market.
According to SurePoint Legal Insights data, 36 mid-sized firms were involved in mergers in 2025—up from 17 in 2021. Mergers of equals or acquisitions of smaller firms rose from 45% in 2021 to 86% in 2025, signaling that firms are increasingly taking control of their own destiny.
Law firm economics have shifted. Mid-sized firms face mounting pressure from all sides: rising costs in technology and cybersecurity, intensifying competition for lateral talent, and clients demanding broader capabilities and geographic reach.
In this environment, M&A offers a compelling solution. By joining forces, firms can diversify their practices, spread fixed costs, and gain the scale needed to compete for larger matters. As more firms consolidate, others feel the pressure to follow—or risk being left behind.
As Daniel Glasser, founding partner at BCR Law Partners, explains:
“Regional firms are searching for a port in the storm—something stable to grab onto. I’ve seen it over and over again: a firm hits a growth ceiling and devolves into a national or regional firm.”
When I speak with firm leaders, their motivations for pursuing M&A are both offensive and defensive. They’re looking to:
At the core, these firms are seeking sustainability and strategic advantage—two outcomes that are increasingly difficult to achieve through organic growth alone.
The most attractive merger partners share three traits:
In many cases, a focused $40 million firm with a cohesive culture is more attractive than a larger organization weighed bown by fragmentation and inefficiency.
Technology is no longer optional—it’s existential. From AI-assisted drafting to cybersecurity infrastructure, the cost of staying competitive is rising fast. Smaller firms often struggle to absorb these costs. Merging allows firms to share expenses, negotiate better vendor terms, and attract specialized IT talent.
For many, technology is the economic logic behind consolidation.
As Glasser notes:
“Technology is pushing the day-to-day practice. The jobs I did as an associate—sitting in a big room surrounded by boxes—AI is doing that search now.”
Cultural compatibility is the most cited determinant of M&A success—and the most overlooked. Firms must conduct cultural due diligence with the same rigor as financial analysis. That means understanding governance models, compensation structures, and decision-making norms.
The goal isn’t just coexistence—it’s integration. Firms that invest in cultural alignment early are far more likely to thrive post-merger.
The first 100 days post-closing often determine whether a merger delivers long-term value or short-term disruption. Successful firms treat integration as a project, not an afterthought. They:
Integration should begin before the ink dries.
Not every firm needs to merge. Independence is viable—but only with a clear strategy. That means:
Be the best at something—not the biggest at everything.
As Glasser observes,
“You can make a good living without being intentional about how you run a business. But the pressure from the market and from PE pushes us to be better at what we do.”
Looking ahead, the next wave of law firm consolidation will be defined less by size and more by strategic capability. We expect to see a rise in cross-border combinations, tech-driven deals, and niche roll-ups that allow firms to deepen specialization and expand reach. Private equity will also continue to influence the market through alternative ownership structures, especially as regulatory frameworks evolve.
In this new era, firms won’t merge simply to grow—they’ll merge to transform.
As the legal industry evolves, law firm leaders must embrace transformation with clarity and confidence. This series has outlined the critical dimensions of firm performance—from talent and technology to client expectations and market dynamics.
By aligning people, process, and technology, firms can unlock new levels of agility, profitability, and resilience.
SurePoint stands ready to partner with firms on this journey, offering strategic guidance and innovative solutions to help leaders shape the future of legal performance.
Together, private equity and M&A represent two sides of the same transformation—reshaping how firms scale, compete, and define long-term success.
This article concludes SurePoint’s Beyond Practice Management: The Future of Firm Performance blog series. Throughout the series, we explored the forces reshaping mid-sized law firms—from talent strategy and technology modernization to private equity, consolidation, and market dynamics.
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