Cherry Bekaert Adds Forensic & Dispute Advisory Practice with Legier & Company Acquisition
June 5, 2023
Cherry Bekaert (the Firm) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Legier & Company (Legier), a boutique forensic and litigation consulting firm specializing in forensic accounting, business interruption services, expert witness testimony, and dispute advisory services, through the deployment of enhanced technology and specialized data analytics capabilities. The addition expands the Firm’s geographic footprint in the Southern United States by adding a location in New Orleans.
“Legier, one of the most experienced firms in Louisiana, will help solidify our forensic accounting and dispute resolution practice area,” said Michelle Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC. “We look forward to working with the Legier team. Their specialized expertise in forensic accounting across many industries adds to our growing capabilities.”
Legier was founded in 1984, offering management consulting and advisory services to clients across the states of Louisiana and Texas. As a recognized leader in forensic and litigation consulting for over 30 years, Legier has provided expert witness, business interruption, and advisory services to law firms and large multinational, publicly traded corporations.
Legier’s Founder, William R. Legier, views the consolidation with Cherry Bekaert as an ideal way to supplement their current service offerings. The integration of Legier into Cherry Bekaert will provide Legier’s current clientele access to an array of services previously unavailable to them.
“Our leading forensic and dispute advisory offerings—combined with Cherry Bekaert’s broad portfolio of transaction advisory services—allows us to now provide end-to-end support to our clients. We help them by building and proving stronger cases and utilizing complex data to resolve business issues. It’s an exciting new chapter for us,” said Legier. “Our people—many of whom have been with us for more than 20 years—are excited to move forward with Cherry Bekaert. The acquisition will expose our team to new skills and clients and provide a strong foundation for additional development and growth.”
This acquisition will help law firms, insurance companies, financial institutions, and other entities perform lost profits analysis, damages, disputes and expert witness testimony. Clients of Cherry Bekaert will now have access to Legier’s suite of specialized services, including property damage assessment; surety services; forensic consulting services; and added forensic accounting, economics, and corporate restructuring services.
“The acquisition of Legier is a strategic step that provides the foundation to build our forensic accounting and dispute advisory offerings in the U.S. and meet the escalating demand in the market,” stated Scott Moss, Cherry Bekaert’s Private Equity Industry Leader and Transaction Advisory Practice Leader. “Businesses are navigating disruptive challenges, and we’re dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance their enterprise value. Together, we meet this need.”
Allan D. Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group who advised both sides on the merger commented, “Legier is recognized as one of the preeminent forensic boutiques in the country and was sought after by many suiters. Ultimately, they chose Cherry Bekaert because they felt it was a great cultural and strategic fit for their people and their clients. The ability to scale the practice over a broader geography was another factor in their decision.