Information Governance and M&A: Where Law Firm Mergers Win or Lose Value

Law firm mergers are on the rise, and the headlines tend to focus on growth, scale, and market presence. But in our experience, the real story and the real risk lie in what happens after the deal closes.

When governance is treated as a check-the-box item instead of a strategic priority, firms end up with redundant systems, mismatched policies, and a tangle of vendor contracts. These aren’t just operational headaches; they undercut the value the merger was supposed to create.

The Overlooked Danger in M&A 

Mergers combine firms, but they also combine information ecosystems. And those don’t always play nicely together.

• Redundant record systems create inefficiencies and inflate costs

• Conflicting retention policies lead to compliance inconsistencies

• Fragmented vendor relationships weaken accountability and oversight

We’ve seen this firsthand. In one case, a newly merged firm realized that both legacy organizations were using different off-site records vendors with different retrieval processes, pricing structures, and service levels. Reconciling these differences took months and drained time from attorneys and staff who should’ve been focused on clients.

Governance Isn’t a Back-Office Issue 

Handled proactively, governance becomes one of the most powerful tools in post-merger integration.

• Aligning retention policies across offices ensures consistency

• Consolidating vendor contracts reduces costs and simplifies oversight

• Implementing clear compliance protocols prevents regulatory exposure

In a recent engagement, we helped a firm navigate these exact challenges. By consolidating records vendors, defining service-level expectations, and unifying retention schedules, they not only avoided disruption but also gained efficiency and control.

Why It Matters Firm-Wide

• Leadership protects the deal’s strategic and financial value

• Operations teams eliminate redundancy and mitigate risk

• Managers gain the clarity they need to oversee vendor performance

• Attorneys and staff get streamlined systems that make their jobs easier

The Mattern Perspective 

Mergers are complicated. That’s a given. But they don’t have to be chaotic.

Good governance is what makes the difference between a firm that struggles through integration and one that emerges stronger. At Mattern, we help firms bring structure to complexity so that mergers deliver the value they’re meant to.

If your firm is navigating a merger or acquisition, let’s talk: info@matternassoc.com