Washington, D.C. – October 2025 – The fractional executive model, long proven in tech, finance, and private equity, has officially arrived in the legal industry. Fractional Firm Advisors (FFA), a consultancy based in the Washington, D.C. metro area, is introducing law firms across the United States to a new way of accessing BigLaw-level financial and operational expertise – at a part-time cost.

Founded by Lori Brown-Simmons, a veteran law firm operations executive who held leadership roles at several Am Law 50 firms including DLA Piper, and Jeff Marquis, a Harvard-trained CPA, CFA, and former CEO, FFA helps midsized law firms gain executive-level insight without adding full-time overhead.

FFA’s team of fractional CFOs, COOs, CMOs, and CHROs works directly with firm leaders to strengthen profitability, improve efficiency, and bring financial clarity through fractional and outsourced leadership models.

Bringing a Proven Model to Law Firms

As technology, AI, and client demands reshape the business of law, midsized firms face growing pressure to match BigLaw sophistication on smaller budgets.

“Many midsized firms are led by outstanding partners but lack access to executive-level financial expertise,” said Brown-Simmons. “Fractional leadership isn’t new, but it may feel new to law firms. Our mission is simple: give firms access to BigLaw talent — at a part-time cost.”

Having spent over 15 years in Am Law 50 leadership, Brown-Simmons said she has seen firsthand the challenge of balancing client service with lean operational budgets. “Many firms operate without the financial visibility they need,” she added. “That lack of insight can make even profitable firms vulnerable to margin pressure.”

Solving the Law Firm “Profit Squeeze”

Industry observers describe a “profit squeeze” among midsized firms — a gap between rising client expectations and limited capacity to raise rates or hire senior financial talent. FFA’s fractional and outsourced CFOs embed with firm leadership to provide real-time visibility into profitability and decision-making.

“In every successful company I’ve advised, strong financial leadership is non-negotiable,” said Marquis. “Law firms are no different. Once a firm reaches around 30 attorneys, it needs the same level of financial sophistication as any other mid-market enterprise. The outsourced CFO model makes that possible – without the full-time cost.”