Mesirow, an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937, has entered into an agreement to acquire LeafHouse Financial Advisors, a division of LeafHouse Financial Group, a technology company that creates investment solutions for the retirement plan industry. In conjunction with the transaction, Mesirow will also make a strategic investment in LeafHouse Financial Services to support its ongoing technology development.
Following the close, LeafHouse’s advisory business will operate as part of Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions, which has powered some of the largest fiduciary programs in the retirement marketplace for nearly 20 years. The combined platform is expected to oversee approximately $138 billion in assets under management and advisement, up from $115.2 billion as of March 31, 2026. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
Mesirow Fiduciary Solutions is a trusted provider of outsourced ERISA fiduciary, investment due diligence, reporting, and custom default solutions to the retirement plan, HSA, and IRA marketplaces, currently servicing nearly 10,000 financial advisors. The acquisition expands the firm’s capabilities by adding LeafHouse’s strong distribution reach and highly customizable approach to retirement plan services, creating a hybrid model designed to serve advisors, plan sponsors, and institutional partners with greater scale and technology-enabled flexibility. LeafHouse’s advisor-centric model complements Mesirow’s established recordkeeper-integrated approach, and the combination is intended to deliver a more versatile platform for participants across the retirement marketplace.
LeafHouse Financial Services, the technology side of the LeafHouse business not included in the advisory acquisition, will continue to operate independently, focusing on developing and expanding its technology solutions for financial advisors, recordkeepers, trust companies, asset managers, and institutional partners. Mesirow’s strategic investment in that entity is designed to support continued innovation on the technology front even as the advisory operations are integrated into the Mesirow platform. DLA Piper served as legal advisor to Mesirow, while Dwyer Murphy Calvert LLP and Founders Advisors served as legal and financial advisors to LeafHouse.
The acquisition reflects Mesirow’s broader strategy of investing in businesses that align culturally, strengthen capabilities, and position the firm for long-term, sustainable growth in attractive markets. Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel Ketan Shah noted that LeafHouse significantly enhances the firm’s fiduciary solutions platform by expanding distribution reach while reinforcing a long-standing commitment to fiduciary excellence.
KEY QUOTES:
“LeafHouse significantly enhances our fiduciary solutions platform by expanding our distribution reach while reinforcing our long-standing commitment to fiduciary excellence. This transaction reflects our strategy of investing in businesses that align culturally, strengthen our capabilities and position Mesirow for long-term, sustainable growth in attractive markets.”
Ketan Shah, Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel, Mesirow
“This next chapter allows us to build on what we do best — serving advisors with thoughtful technology and practical solutions. We look forward to accelerating innovation and expanding our impact as we enable advisors and institutions to operate more effectively, communicate better, and make more informed decisions.”
Todd Kading, President and CEO, LeafHouse
