Michael Ellenhorn founded Decipher Investigative Intelligence to help clients create safer, more productive, and more profitable workplaces through reliable investigative intelligence. He counsels clients on mitigating risks associated with the hiring process and is a frequent speaker on the topic of lateral hiring, integration, and talent acquisition strategy. Under his leadership, Decipher has been recognized by St. Louis Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” and honored for his innovation in corporate philanthropy.

As Chief Growth Officer at Decipher, Julie Henson empowers law firms to make strategic growth decisions. Whether it’s lateral hiring, exploring new markets, or seizing M&A opportunities, she helps firms elevate client service, mitigate risk, boost revenue, and foster vibrant cultures. With more than 20 years of legal industry experience, including in business development strategy and as a Chief Client Officer at an AmLaw 100 firm, she offers unparalleled insights into fostering growth and maximizing potential for law firms and other legal organizations.

Did you know that 50% of lateral partner hires fail within a few years? Most law firms are focused on growth, whether it’s through increased head count or better approaches to profitability, but law firms often make decisions based on what feels right. Growth requires a strategic approach, not one based on gut feeling or limited information. Collecting and analyzing data through investigative intelligence helps you make accurate decisions in talent acquisition that also align with your company’s culture.

In this episode of The Lawyer’s Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman sits down with the CEO and Chief Growth Officer of Decipher Investigative Intelligence, Michael Ellenhorn and Julie Henson, to talk about the importance of using investigative intelligence in decision-making for growing and sustaining law firms. You’ll learn about various growth strategies, the challenges of integrating lateral partners, avoiding cultural mismatches, and much more!

1:59 - What investigative intelligence is and two ways you can use it to gather the information you need

8:07 - How to define growth and success for your law firm

12:09 - How to start determining the best path for growing through mergers and acquisitions

14:35 - Examples of how cultural divides within a merged organization can create problems

16:52 - Other common mistakes made with lateral hires, mergers, and acquisitions

23:06 - The challenge of finding game-changing lateral partners to fill certain needs in your law firm

25:20 - One way to drastically get ahead of your competition when hiring and how Decipher utilizes information to help

29:11 - Dos and don'ts for successful lateral hiring and integration in your law firm

39:53 - The importance of kindness in your interactions and paying attention to red flags in the hiring process

Decipher Investigative Intelligence

Michael Ellenhorn on LinkedIn

Julie Henson on LinkedIn

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The Lawyer’s Edge

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