Husch Blackwell Chief Executive Jamie Lawless recently spoke with The American Lawyer to discuss the firm's performance in 2024, a year that was defined by growth.
Lawless noted that Husch Blackwell has achieved five consecutive years of double-digit growth but underscored that through financial discipline the firm came in “significantly under-budget.” The firm continues to be laser-focused on running it like a business.
She told The American Lawyer that investments made in prior years—both in people and in infrastructure—played a pivotal role in the firm’s success. In 2023, the firm added 111 attorneys—nearly 70% joining in the second half of the year—and followed it up in 2024 with 126 attorney additions.
“We’ve landed some really exceptional talent this year because the particular partners had to move for personal reasons, and their prior firm would not allow them to do so,” Lawless said of attorneys working from anywhere.
The Link, Husch Blackwell’s virtual office, was a catalyst for helping drive the organic growth that could be compared to a sizeable combination, something the firm has not done since the 2016 combination with Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek. Lawless noted that the firm is in “conversations all the time.”
“It’s part of being in the business, and it’s really important to educate ourselves on what the opportunities are,” Lawless said, adding: “It would have to be predicated on client need and cultural fit. Culture is really important, and we’ve been picky with discussions in the past.”
Read the full article: Husch Grows Revenue 15% to $708M, as PEP Crosses $1M