Spotlight On: Leading the Legal Team at Aprio

Leading the legal team at Aprio encompasses everything from diligence, drafting, and integration for M&A; to strategy and expansion related to our intellectual property portfolio; to thought leadership for data security and risk management policies and controls; to the oversight of litigation and employment matters; and, most importantly, to collaboration with internal and external clients. The combination of industry practice groups, accounting firm governance metrics, and sophisticated commercial transactions makes for continuous learning and engaging work for our team. As Aprio continues to expand geographically and professionally, both internationally and domestically, the legal team’s opportunity to be a critical business partner is also amplified, and that commitment guides my role and our team.  
 
In 2023, Accounting Today named Aprio the #1 Fastest Growing Firm and the #26 Largest Accounting Firm in the U.S. We now have over 2,100 team members. The growth is an exciting challenge, and I am proud that we remain centered in our 31 fundamentals. Our fundamentals are behaviors that we are committed to delivering to our clients and each other, and one of my favorite fundamentals is “Work Smart.” In a time of fast-paced growth, this fundamental is essential for our legal team, and it is embodied in our daily efforts to focus on right-sized processes, a business-centered risk approach, and proactive training and collaboration. With new colleagues from eight strategic combinations joining us over the past 12 months, I happily borrow ideas from our incoming team members and my external legal colleagues when innovative approaches could yield better results.