Citizens M&A Advisory served as the exclusive financial advisor to Best Lawyers®, the oldest and most respected peer-review ranking service in the global legal community, on its acquisition by Abry Partners, a Boston-based investment firm. Best Lawyers was previously a portfolio company of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (“LLCP”), a Los Angeles-based middle-market private equity firm.

Best Lawyers is the leading provider of rankings and subscription-based brand management solutions to the legal market. Best Lawyers’ print and digital publications reach nearly 20 million readers. The company currently conducts its peer-reviewed surveys in 76 countries across the globe and conducts multiple annual ranking surveys including, Best Lawyers, U.S. News-Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms,” and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Phil Greer, chief executive officer of Best Lawyers, said: “The Citizens M&A Advisory team was immensely helpful in this process. They were able to clearly articulate our complex business model, compelling value proposition and extensive growth opportunities to the investor community.”

Tannaz Chapman, managing director at LLCP, said: “Citizens delivered an exceptional outcome for LLCP in this process. They demonstrated a thorough understanding of the business and drove a competitive and fast-paced process. We greatly appreciate the efforts made by Tom Donahue, Steve Dyott and the entire Citizens team.”

Tom Donahue, managing director at Citizens M&A Advisory, said: “We could not be more excited about the Best Lawyers and Abry partnership. The Best Lawyers team has built strong relationships and earned unmatched credibility in the legal industry. The partnership with Abry positions Best Lawyers for its next phase of growth, as the company continues to grow its core offerings and expand on its brand management solutions.”