Dear Colleague:

If you feel dissatisfied or disconnected after being swept up in a law firm merger, you are not alone. Mergers are affecting the careers of many lawyers, at least some of whom were content practicing at mid-sized firms and have found that the downside of rapid law firm growth can be diminished camaraderie, control, and fit with their clients.

Sometimes, of course, bigger is better. There are thousands of lawyers doing great work at firms sporting dozens of offices worldwide and a billion dollars of revenue. There are clients that need these resources.

But bigger is not better for everybody. Certainly not for the lawyer who cannot see how paying for office space in Qatar helps his Chicago-based client that is closing a deal in Cleveland. Nor for the partner whose annual billings of over one million dollars approximate only a half-day of receipts at her firm.

Fortunately, a few excellent mid-sized firms with diversified practices still thrive in Chicago. Law practices where you can see the impact you have on the firm and your partners. Firms where you actually know your colleagues, and even see them outside the office at weddings and graduations.

One of these firms is Ungaretti & Harris. We have over 100 lawyers and a national reputation for excellence in our numerous practice areas. We are big enough to handle most client legal needs and small enough to actually talk to each other about what those needs may be.

For me, this balance has been fulfilling on both a professional and a personal level. It is why I came here as a lateral partner from a large firm. And it is why today, 20 years later, I am still here and still happy with the balance I have found for myself and my clients.

If you are a partner with a strong practice looking to right-size your firm, call me or any of the other executive committee members listed on this page. We would like to get better acquainted. If we decide we have the right fit, you will have found a place where you are valued, where your contributions are respected, and where you just may become reacquainted with the reasons you first chose to practice law.

Best regards,

Thomas M. Fahey
Managing Partner
Executive Committee Member
312.977.4376

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