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Help Explain Winstead?

Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2024 3:39 pm
by Newbie7749
How does Winstead (a TX regional firm with only equity partners) have a PPP of about $1,700,000? What are most partners making there? Are there a handful of partners that are throwing off these figures?

Re: Help Explain Winstead?

Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:52 pm
by The Lsat Airbender
Newbie7749 wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2024 3:39 pm
only equity partners
I see 93 associates and 46 of counsel on their website, against 151 equity partners. 1:1 leverage is pretty normal for midlaw.

Looks like they are a high-end regional firm with exposure to energy, RE, and corporate work in markets where those practices are super busy (and with plenty of mid-market clients who tend to be rate-sensitive and therefore avoid biglaw). Not a lot to explain here.

Re: Help Explain Winstead?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2024 11:46 am
by nealric
The Lsat Airbender wrote:
Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:52 pm
Newbie7749 wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2024 3:39 pm
only equity partners
I see 93 associates and 46 of counsel on their website, against 151 equity partners. 1:1 leverage is pretty normal for midlaw.

Looks like they are a high-end regional firm with exposure to energy, RE, and corporate work in markets where those practices are super busy (and with plenty of mid-market clients who tend to be rate-sensitive and therefore avoid biglaw). Not a lot to explain here.
There are 151 partners, but are you sure they are equity partners? A lot of firms have a lot of non-equity partners whose comp agreements (and lack of equity) are not public. It's easy to goose PPP numbers when only a few of the big rainmakers actually have equity.

Keep in mind that even among equity partners, very few partners actually make the PPP number. It's usually a few rainmakers making big bucks and a bunch of rank and file making a fraction of that. Finally, the PPP numbers are not typically audited financials, so are subject to various games to goose the numbers.

Re: Help Explain Winstead?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2024 3:16 pm
by The Lsat Airbender
nealric wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2024 11:46 am
The Lsat Airbender wrote:
Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:52 pm
Newbie7749 wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2024 3:39 pm
only equity partners
I see 93 associates and 46 of counsel on their website, against 151 equity partners. 1:1 leverage is pretty normal for midlaw.

Looks like they are a high-end regional firm with exposure to energy, RE, and corporate work in markets where those practices are super busy (and with plenty of mid-market clients who tend to be rate-sensitive and therefore avoid biglaw). Not a lot to explain here.
There are 151 partners, but are you sure they are equity partners? A lot of firms have a lot of non-equity partners whose comp agreements (and lack of equity) are not public. It's easy to goose PPP numbers when only a few of the big rainmakers actually have equity.

Keep in mind that even among equity partners, very few partners actually make the PPP number. It's usually a few rainmakers making big bucks and a bunch of rank and file making a fraction of that. Finally, the PPP numbers are not typically audited financials, so are subject to various games to goose the numbers.
Agree with all of this.