Uplift Investors, a middle-market private equity firm focused on services investing, announced it has acquired IMS Legal Strategies, a provider of expert witness services, advisory support, and data-driven jury consulting for complex litigation. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The deal marks Uplift’s second investment since its 2025 launch and aligns with its strategy of targeting scaled services businesses, particularly those operating within legal services and knowledge-driven sectors. IMS, described as the largest network-based expert witness provider in the United States, offers services across the full litigation lifecycle, including analytics, trial consulting, and presentation technology.
Founded in the early 1990s by Mike and Bill Wein, IMS has evolved from an executive search firm into a comprehensive litigation support platform, with experience spanning more than 65,000 cases and 6,500 trials. The company works with law firms and corporations globally to support high-stakes disputes.
Uplift highlighted IMS’s network-driven business model and its role in legal workflows as key factors in the acquisition. The firm plans to accelerate IMS’s growth through investments in technology, data capabilities, go-to-market strategies, and additional mergers and acquisitions.
Support: Advisors on the transaction included Robert W. Baird & Co. and Piper Sandler as financial advisors to Uplift, with Kirkland & Ellis serving as legal counsel. Deloitte Corporate Finance acted as exclusive financial advisor to IMS, with Katten Muchin Rosenman as legal counsel.
KEY QUOTES
“IMS’s scale, reputation and embedded role in providing expertise for high-stakes legal workflows creates a powerful network effect and a durable competitive advantage at the center of a large, growing and non-cyclical market. Drawing on our experience investing in and scaling dual-sided networks, we see a clear opportunity to accelerate growth through targeted investments in technology and data enablement, enhanced go-to-market execution and continued strategic M&A to further strengthen the platform.”
Will Hausberg, Managing Partner, Uplift Investors; Doug Rosenstein, Managing Partner, Uplift Investors
“We are proud of the platform we’ve built and the critical role we play for both our clients and expert partners, and we’re excited to partner with Uplift for our next phase of growth. Uplift brings a deep understanding of dual-sided network businesses and a value creation approach that aligns closely with our long-term vision. Their focus on investing in people, technology and scalable infrastructure positions us to expand our reach, deepen client relationships and continue delivering best-in-class outcomes in the most complex and consequential matters.”
James Crane, Chief Executive Officer, IMS Legal Strategies
