The ABA Journal has published an article titled “Big Four accounting company gets Arizona approval to operate firm, plans to use AI to transform legal services” by Debra Cassens Weiss, highlighting a significant development in the U.S. legal industry.
KPMG has become the first of the Big Four accounting firms to own a law firm in the United States, following approval by the Arizona Supreme Court under the state’s alternative business structure (ABS) program. This approval allows non-lawyers to own or invest in law firms, a departure from traditional restrictions in most U.S. jurisdictions. KPMG Law US will operate as a subsidiary of KPMG and is poised to combine its parent company’s technological strengths with legal service delivery.
According to the announcement, KPMG Law US will focus on large-scale, process-driven legal work such as high-volume contract management, remediation exercises, and M&A-related contract harmonization. The firm also intends to leverage artificial intelligence and advanced technology to improve efficiency and service delivery in these areas.
While the firm is prohibited from providing legal services to KPMG’s audit clients to avoid conflicts of interest, it plans to work across jurisdictions in compliance with local ethics rules. This includes co-counselling or partnering with other law firms and staffing firms to extend its reach beyond Arizona.
KPMG’s entry into the U.S. legal market signals a potential shift in how legal services are delivered, particularly through technology-enabled models. The development raises broader implications for the future structure of legal practice in the U.S., particularly as states like Arizona continue to embrace reforms that open up the profession to nontraditional business models.