Private Investment in Professional Services
Cohen & Gresser advises professional services firms, their owners, private equity firms, family offices, and other investors navigating the evolving landscape of private capital investment across the US, UK, Australia, and other key markets.
As private capital investment in professional services continues to grow, investors are pursuing opportunities across law firms, accounting firms, consulting businesses, and other professional services companies. These transactions can present unique regulatory and ownership considerations—including non-lawyer ownership restrictions, regulatory approval requirements, and cross-border rule variations—alongside governance and operational complexities.
Our multidisciplinary team advises on investment structuring, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, due diligence, deal execution, and post-investment matters. We help professional services businesses and investors navigate complex transactions while advancing their strategic objectives.
Comprehensive Support
Our services include:
- Buy-side and sell-side M&A, majority investments, minority investments, and roll-up strategies
- Investment structuring and regulatory compliance
- MSO and alternative ownership structuring for regulated professional services businesses
- Cross-border deal coordination and multi-jurisdictional regulatory analysis
- Operational and legal due diligence
- Governance, management transitions, and integration
- Employment and other post-investment matters
Drawing from live and complex engagements across multiple jurisdictions, we combine private equity, corporate, transactional, employment, IP, and regulatory experience to guide clients through each stage of the transaction.
Key Contacts
All Attorneys
Representative Transactions
Advised a consortium led by Raine Ventures in its investment in Wake Up Productions Limited, the digital media network behind Piers Morgan Uncensored, in connection with a cross-border capital raise.
Represented a private medical group in a strategic sale of its practice to a publicly traded company, advising the group throughout the transaction and securing highly favorable terms while navigating the complex legal, regulatory and commercial considerations inherent in the sale of a healthcare practice.
“One major benefit of the new structure is that the law firm can offer partners equity that will increase in value as the enterprise grows, encouraging partners to think and act in the long-term interest of the firm.”
Read Investcorp’s press release here.
Cohen & Gresser and Citrin Cooperman recently hosted a webinar, Law Firms & Private Equity – The Next Big Thing? Finding the Right Approach for You, featuring Lawrence T. Gresser and Daniel H. Mathias of Cohen & Gresser and John Fitzgerald of Citrin Cooperman.
The discussion explored the factors driving investment activity, evolving deal structures, and key considerations for law firm leaders navigating this rapidly changing landscape.
Key takeaways include:
- Private equity interest in law firms continues to grow as firms seek long-term capital, scalable infrastructure, and new approaches to talent retention.
- Successful transactions begin with strategy—not capital. Firms must clearly define their objectives before evaluating potential partners.
- Outside investment is as much a transformation as a transaction, requiring changes to governance, financial reporting, operations, and decision-making.
- Equity can become a powerful tool for succession planning, partner retention, and long-term value creation.
- Investors increasingly look for firms with strong institutional client relationships, recurring revenue, scalable operations, and technology-enabled growth.
- While private equity may reshape parts of the industry, independent firms can continue to thrive if they maintain a differentiated strategy and strong market position.
To view the full webinar and gain additional insights from our panelists, watch the webinar recording below.
Panelists
Cohen & Gresser
Cohen & Gresser
Citrin Cooperman
Related Practices
Private Capital Investment in Law Firms
Private Equity and Venture Capital
Corporate