Howard Rosenberg Interviews Andy Kvesic, CEO, Aprio Legal

In this episode of The Future Is Bright podcast, Howard Rosenberg, head of Talent Intelligence + Acquisitions at Baretz+Brunelle, and his co-host Chris Batz welcome Andy Kvesic, CEO of Aprio Legal, the legal arm of a national accounting firm backed by private equity. Andy spent nearly a decade as a commercial litigator in Phoenix before becoming a fraud prosecutor at the Arizona Attorney General’s office. He later served as general counsel for a state agency and then for a single-family office, where he learned how a well-run business uses capital and decides when to hire.

The conversation traces how Andy left that general counsel role to acquire Radix Law under Arizona’s new ownership rules, then combined it with Aprio, a national accounting and advisory organization, putting legal services alongside tax and wealth planning under one roof. He explains why the deal made sense to both sides. He also describes what changed once people trained in accounting started running the numbers on a law firm, and where he thinks the fight over non-lawyer ownership is headed.

Episode Highlights

• Walking Away From the Job Every Lawyer Wants
  The general counsel role is the one most attorneys chase. Why give it up to buy a law firm and start fixing how the whole model operates

• Two Firsts in One Deal
  What it took to become the first business law firm in Arizona built to allow non-lawyer ownership, then the first of those firms to combine with another one like it.

• When Private Equity Knocks and Doesn’t Audit
  Andy expected a team in suits arriving to audit everything. The first question from the private equity partner turned out to be something else entirely.

• What Accountants See When They Read a Law Firm’s Books
  Most firms run on a cash basis and pay out to zero every December. A look at what changes when people who plan years ahead take over the numbers.

• The Delaware Order Nobody’s Talking About
  A recent court rule meant to keep private equity out of law firms could sweep in any firm with a non-lawyer executive. Why its reach may go well beyond the intended target.

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About the Podcast:
On The Future Is Bright, Howard Rosenberg and Chris Batz engage with thought-provoking C-suite executives and leaders from corporations, professional service firms, and the global legal industry. Each episode uncovers insights on leadership, innovation, and the evolving dynamics of the modern professional landscape.

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