Uplift Investors (“Uplift”), a middle-market private equity firm with a business model-centric focus on services investing, today announced that Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers (“Hughes & Coleman”) will become a partner of Orion Legal MSO (“Orion”), Uplift’s managed service organization (“MSO”) serving plaintiff law firms. The partnership supports the continued expansion of Orion’s national platform, building on its founding partnership with Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers.
As part of the transaction, industry leader Lee Coleman has been appointed Chair of Orion’s National Advisory Board, a forum for partner firms to help guide strategy and operations across the platform.
Founded in 1985, Hughes & Coleman is consistently recognized as a premier personal injury law firm across Kentucky and Tennessee, having recovered more than $2 billion for clients. Managing Partner and Co-Founder Lee Coleman is widely regarded as a leading figure in the industry and an operational innovator of the modern personal injury firm business model.
“The addition of Hughes & Coleman to Orion underscores our ambition to build the MSO of choice for best-in-class plaintiff law firms nationwide,” said Doug Rosenstein, Managing Partner at Uplift.
“In addition to welcoming Hughes & Coleman to Orion’s growing platform, we are delighted that Lee Coleman, a towering figure in the industry, will step into the role of Chair of Orion’s National Advisory Board,” added Chad Dudley, CEO of Orion. “We look forward to working together to provide the operational infrastructure and support that enables our partner firms to stay focused on delivering superior outcomes for their clients.”
Orion will provide Hughes & Coleman with non-legal operational support services, including marketing, finance, technology, talent, and administrative infrastructure, designed to enable attorneys to focus on client advocacy and legal outcomes. Additionally, Orion will provide the same non-legal operational support services to Ron Bell Injury Lawyers, a New Mexico firm with which Hughes & Coleman formed a partnership in 2008. There is no change to ownership or control of either firm.
“We have remained focused on achieving exceptional client outcomes for more than 40 years, and having Orion’s support will help us continue that commitment well into the future,” said Lee Coleman. “I am also honored to serve as Chair of Orion’s Advisory Board, as its bold vision aligns with where we see the industry heading. The MSO model represents a major step forward, leveraging scale to invest in operational support so lawyers can concentrate on delivering the highest-quality legal work on behalf of clients.”
Holland & Knight LLP served as legal counsel to Orion, with Samson Partners Group acting as financial advisor. English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP served as legal counsel to Hughes & Coleman.
About Uplift Investors
Uplift Investors is a business model-centric, services investment firm dedicated to creating scalable success and lasting partnerships. Headquartered in Darien, Connecticut, the firm takes a specialized approach to private equity investing, focusing on micro-sectors at the intersection of five business models and five services sectors. Uplift partners with management teams and provides functional resources to catalyze distinct competitive advantages to elevate its partner companies. For more information, visit www.upliftinvestors.com.
About Orion Legal
Orion Legal MSO is a managed service organization supporting leading plaintiff law firms across North America. Orion provides non-legal operational support functions, including marketing, technology, finance, talent, and administrative infrastructure, to enable law firms to focus on delivering exceptional legal outcomes for clients. Built in partnership with Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers as its founding partner firm, Orion is designed to help plaintiff law practices scale, improve efficiency, and enhance client service while preserving firm culture, autonomy and full compliance with applicable legal and ethical requirements. For more information, visit www.orionlegalmso.com.
About Hughes & Coleman
Hughes & Coleman was founded in 1985 and has recovered over $2 billion for our clients in Kentucky and Tennessee injured from auto accidents, big truck wrecks, motorcycle accidents, defective medical products, nursing home abuse, slip and fall accidents, and wrongful death. Hughes & Coleman operates 10 offices, with personal injury lawyers in Kentucky and injury attorneys in Tennessee.
About Ron Bell Injury Lawyers
Ron Bell Injury Lawyers was founded by Ron Bell in 1982 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The firm joined with Hughes & Coleman in 2008 and has helped thousands of New Mexicans injured in motorcycle crashes, auto accidents, truck wrecks, nursing home abuse, wrongful death claims, slip and fall injuries, and injuries caused by drunk drivers.
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