PE MSO
Trisha Rich on the Surging Interest in MSOs and ABSs
The legal industry is racing toward new business models, and Trisha Rich offers a grounded view of what that shift actually requires.
The legal industry is racing toward new business models, and Trisha Rich offers a grounded view of what that shift actually requires.
As a partner at Holland & Knight and a professor at New York University School of Law, she works at the center of the conversations driving MSO growth, ABS experimentation, and rising interest from Private Equity. Firms want support, investors want a foothold, and everyone wants clarity on where the ethical lines sit. Trisha argues that the answers are far less mysterious than people think. Independence, fee structures, and client protection still define the boundaries, and decades of opinions already show how to navigate them.
She also speaks to the momentum behind this moment. AI pressure, shifting talent expectations, and a clear push for stronger business models have created an environment where MSO and ABS structures feel less experimental and more inevitable. Her perspective invites firms to ask sharper questions: what kind of growth makes sense, which investments matter most, and how do you protect the heart of the profession while modernizing it? The conversation offers a clear read on a fast-evolving space and a thoughtful look at how regulation and innovation shape each other inside modern legal practice.
Episode Player:
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 The mso and abs shift in the legal industry
04:26 How rule 5.4 shapes modern law firm models
11:19 Historical precedent that explains today’s mso boom
21:27 Law firms, business strategy, and the push for scale
26:19 Why private equity now targets legal services
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