Legal Services Transactions

Holland & Knight's Legal Services Transactions Team is highly regarded for its sophisticated approach to law firm operations and is a market leader in management services organization (MSO) structuring, alternative business structures (ABS) and regulatory compliance. We proactively help clients understand and navigate complex nonlawyer investment frameworks, transactional issues and strategic growth opportunities in a results-oriented manner that keeps your long-term goals front of mind.

Our attorneys represent private equity sponsors, law firms of all sizes, in-house legal departments, legal technology companies and investors in structuring and executing MSO transactions, including equity and debt financing, recapitalizations and related strategic investments.

By actively monitoring developments in state legislation, ethics opinions and regulatory guidance, we team with clients to help ensure they are prepared to operate efficiently and safely in a rapidly evolving market. Our guidance combines strategic, regulatory and operational insight to help identify and mitigate potential risks before they arise.

Law Firm MSOs: Distinct Opportunities and Challenges

The MSO model originated in healthcare to relieve providers of administrative burdens while improving efficiency and quality of services. By separating professional judgment from operational management, MSOs allow organizations to focus on their core work while leveraging economies of scale for administrative proficiency. This approach has been successfully applied in other professional services sectors, such as accounting and architecture, and is now emerging as a powerful tool in the legal industry.

Law firm MSO and ABS arrangements present the opportunity to professionalize operations and enhance efficiency, as well as make strategic investments in technology, cybersecurity and productivity improvements. However, these arrangements require careful structuring to comply with professional responsibility rules, maintain law firm independence and navigate state-specific nonlawyer ownership regulations.

Holland & Knight's Legal Services Transactions Team partners with clients to design MSO arrangements that align incentives, safeguard independence and comply with regulatory frameworks, enabling law firms to capitalize on emerging market trends securely and strategically.

Comprehensive Guidance on Deals and Compliance

Holland & Knight's extensive MSO knowledge brings substantial depth and practical experience to a rapidly evolving market. Our integrated team combines transactional, regulatory and operational experience with deep knowledge of professional responsibility, enabling our attorneys to counsel clients on complex deals while ensuring full compliance with ethical and regulatory obligations. Our team leverages Holland & Knight's national reach and platform to advise on MSO matters across the country with a distinct depth of institutional experience and cross-disciplinary coordination.

Our lawyers advise private equity sponsors, law firms and legal service providers on a wide range of matters, including recapitalizations, equity financing, debt financing, roll-ups, bolt-on expansions and other high-stakes negotiations with investors.

By standing alongside our clients to provide strategic counsel and hands-on execution throughout the process, we eliminate the need for them to engage multiple firms, delivering efficiency, consistency and results that smaller boutiques are often unable to replicate.