If you're navigating the expansive world of legal firms, you're likely familiar with the extremes: Biglaw, with its grueling hours and lucrative pay, and solo practitioners, who embrace the freedom of managing their own practice. But between these poles lies a vast, less defined territory: midsize law firms.

Midsize law firms, often overlooked, serve as the legal industry's backbone, yet they defy simple classification. Google’s AI suggests that these firms generally boast between 20 and 100 attorneys, though some definitions stretch this number from 16 to 350. This wide range raises the question: Can the size of a law firm be solely determined by the number of its attorneys?

The debate extends beyond mere numbers. For instance, when representing a law firm in a competitive dispute about market dominance, it became evident that having the most attorneys didn't necessarily equate to being the largest firm. Factors like non-lawyer staff—who often handle a significant portion of the work—and financial metrics such as profits per partner play crucial roles.

Moreover, a firm’s resources—though harder to quantify—such as its network of contractors, local judicial knowledge, and the breadth of its office locations, contribute to its stature and capabilities.

In the U.S. alone, over 9,000 midsize firms employ around 400,000 legal professionals. These firms are not just surviving; they are thriving by leveraging their local presence and superior resources without the cumbersome processes that bog down larger firms. This flexibility allows them to offer personalized services akin to smaller practices while maintaining a bandwidth that solo practitioners can only dream of.

The identity of a midsize firm often depends on how it perceives itself. While some strive to scale up to Biglaw status, others prefer to position themselves as smaller, client-oriented boutiques. It seems that the essence of being midsize is less about fitting into a strict category and more about embracing an identity that best serves the firm’s and its clients' needs.

Ultimately, the boundaries between Biglaw and midsize firms remain blurred. Perhaps it doesn't matter how they are defined on paper. If a firm embodies the midsize spirit—dynamic, resourceful, and client-focused—it might just be the sweet spot in the legal industry. So for those in midsize firms, it's time to wear that label with pride and declare it loudly.