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Berkeley Research Group
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Berkeley Research Group, LLC (BRG) is a global consulting firm that helps organizations with assistance in disputes and investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement and advisory.[2] BRG is headquartered in Emeryville, California, with offices across the United States and in Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. As of January 2024, it has more than 1,600 employees across more than forty offices.[3]
Key Information
History
[edit]BRG was co-founded in February 2010 by a group including Dr. David Teece, who has served as its executive chairman.[2][4]
Practice Areas
[edit]BRG provides economic, financial, and analytical advice for a range of disciplines:
- antitrust and competition policy
- class action certification
- construction
- corporate governance
- damages analysis
- energy
- environment and natural resources
- finance and valuation
- financial reporting evaluation and fraud
- forensic financial investigations
- health analytics
- information technology
- insurance and reinsurance
- intellectual property
- international and domestic arbitration
- labor and employment
- public policy
- security issues.
BRG also advises clients in industry sectors with compliance, business process improvement, and strategy consulting.[2]
Research
[edit]In January 2011, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), a state agency created by voters with Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Act, released an independent economic impact study authored by BRG professionals.[5] The report showed that the first $1.1 billion in grants created 25,000 job years and $200 million in new tax revenue through 2014.[6] Taxpayer funding generates 2,739 jobs annually.[7]
Special Advisor Dr. Laura D'Andrea Tyson and directors Dr. Kenneth Serwin and Dr. Eric Drabkin performed "The Benefits for the U.S. Economy of a Temporary Tax Reduction on the Repatriation of Foreign Subsidiary Earnings," a 2011 economic study commissioned by the New America Foundation.[8] The study assessed the effects of a one-time reduction in the tax rate applied to the repatriation of foreign subsidiary earnings on spending, output, and employment in the U.S. economy.[9] The study found that a temporary reduction to approximately 5.25 percent would lead to a significant increase in repatriations, making $942 billion available for domestic use by U.S. multinational corporations.[9]
In 2013, the same authors published "Implications of a Switch to a Territorial Tax System in the United States: A Critical Comparison to the Current System."[10] Citizens for Tax Justice wrote that the study "flies in the face of overwhelming evidence that today many of these profits are really earned in the U.S. but characterized as 'offshore' in order to obtain existing tax benefits that would be expanded under a territorial system."[11]
In 2022, BRG published several articles: "Estimating the Benefits from Collaboration: The Case of SEMATECH" by David Teece, which was cited in the Economic Report of the President,[12] "ESI Triage Distribution in U.S. Emergency Departments" by Nicholas Chmielewski, which was published in Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal,[13] "International Trade and the Survival of Mammalian and Reptilian Species" by Michael A. Williams et al., which was published in Science Advances[14], and Assets and Finances: Calculating Intellectual Property Damages, 2022-2023 ed. by Cleve Tyler, Greg Smith, and Deepa Sundararaman, which was published by Reuters.[15]
In 2023, David Ab h r, Neal Brody, Robin Cantor, and Dubravka Tosic published "Emerging Areas of Group and Class Actions Related to ESG Disclosures," in ICLG Class and Group Actions Laws and Regulations 2023.[16]
BRG Review
[edit]BRG Review is a biannual, peer-reviewed journal that presents original research and analysis on topics of interest to audiences including economists, accountants, legal scholars, and industry leaders.[17]
Thinkset
[edit]ThinkSet is a digital publication that provides strategic business consulting news and analysis. In addition to articles, it hosts the ThinkSet Podcast, Intelligence That Works, Force Multiplier, and Insights from the Top.[18][19] Read the latest ThinkSet issue.
Notable Employees Past and Present
[edit]Reception
[edit]Charles H. Ferguson, author of Predator Nation: Corporate Criminals, Political Corruption, and the Hijacking of America, criticized Berkeley Research Group for focusing primarily "on helping companies avoid or influence legislation, public debate, regulation, prosecution, class-action lawsuits, antitrust judgments, and taxes."[24]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Berkeley Research Group Leadership". Retrieved 2023-01-16.
- ^ a b c "Company Overview of Berkeley Research Group, LLC". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
- ^ ."BRG Office Locations". BRG. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
- ^ "David Teece co-founder, BRG". American City Business Journals. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- ^ "CIRM Generating 25,000 Jobs and $200 million in Taxes for California with Grants Awarded So Far—with More to Come". California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. 2011-01-26. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
- ^ Alberro, Jose (March 2011). "Economic Impact of Research Funded by the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine" (PDF). California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
- ^ Darce, Keith (2011-01-26). "Taxpayer funding for stem cell research generates 2,739 jobs annually". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
- ^ Tyson, Laura D'Andrea; Serwin, Kenneth; Drabkin, Eric J. (Fall 2011). "The Benefits for the U.S. Economy of a Temporary Tax Reduction on the Repatriation of Foreign Subsidiary Earnings" (PDF). BRG. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
- ^ a b "Marketwire: New Study Finds Tax Holiday on Repatriated Corporate Earnings Would Increase GDP, Create Jobs". AOL Daily Finance. 2011-10-17. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
- ^ McKinnon, John (2013-11-08). "Study: Tax Change Could Bring $1 Trillion Back to U.S." Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
- ^ French, Lauren (2013-11-11). "Happening this week: Tax talks and a potentially key meeting — Forget the grand bargain". Politico. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
- ^ Biden, Joe (April 2022). "Economic Report of the President" (PDF). The White House. pp. 1–432. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
- ^ Chmielewski, Nicholas; Moretz, Jason (January–March 2022). "ESI Triage Distribution in U.S. Emergency Departments". Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal. 44 (1): 46–53. doi:10.1097/TME.0000000000000390. ISSN 1931-4485. PMID 35089282.
- ^ Mialon, Hugo M.; Klumpp, Tilman; Williams, Michael A. (2022-01-07). "International trade and the survival of mammalian and reptilian species". Science Advances. 8 (1) eabh3442. Bibcode:2022SciA....8.3442M. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abh3442. ISSN 2375-2548. PMC 8741183. PMID 34995106.
- ^ "Assets and Finances: Calculating Intell... | Legal Solutions". store.legal.thomsonreuters.com. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
- ^ "International Comparative Legal Guides". International Comparative Legal Guides International Business Reports. Archived from the original on 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
- ^ "Berkeley Research Group Introduces "BRG Review"". BusinessWire. 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
- ^ "A strategic business consulting magazine for CEOs | ThinkSet". Strategic business consulting news and analysis from BRG | ThinkSet. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Anniversary of the New Enlightenment Conference | ThinkSet Podcast". David J. Teece. 2020-07-27. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Berkeley Research Group". David J. Teece. 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "Robert Rogowsky | Bostonia". Boston University. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ Brown, Steven E.F. (2010-07-14). "Laura Tyson joins Berkeley Research Group". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ LLC, Berkeley Research Group (2013-02-28). "BRG Director Leonard Waverman Appointed Dean of DeGroote School of Business". GlobeNewswire News Room (Press release). Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ Ferguson, Charles (2012). Predator Nation: Corporate Criminals, Political Corruption, and the Hijacking of America. Crown Business.
External links
[edit]- Berkeley Research Group companies grouped at OpenCorporates
- Economic Recovery Advisory Board – Laura Tyson
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
Berkeley Research Group
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History
Founding and Early Development (2010–2015)
Berkeley Research Group (BRG) was co-founded in February 2010 by a group of experts led by Dr. David J. Teece, a professor emeritus of economics at the University of California, Berkeley and authority on industrial organization and innovation, who assumed the role of executive chairman.[15][16] The firm was established in Emeryville, California, with an initial emphasis on delivering interdisciplinary consulting services that integrated academic rigor and real-world business acumen, particularly in economics, expert testimony for disputes and investigations, and corporate finance advisory.[7][17] This founding vision positioned BRG to address complex litigation, regulatory, and financial challenges faced by corporations, governments, and legal entities, differentiating it through its reliance on PhD-level economists and data-driven analytics rather than generalist management consulting.[18] In January 2011, BRG expanded its capabilities by acquiring the economics consulting practice from Navigant Consulting, which bolstered its expertise in economic analysis for antitrust matters, damages assessments, and regulatory proceedings.[19] This move integrated seasoned professionals and enhanced BRG's footprint in high-stakes expert witness services, enabling the firm to handle larger-scale engagements in areas like intellectual property valuation and merger reviews. Following the acquisition, BRG began building out additional domestic offices to support growing client demands, focusing on sectors such as healthcare, energy, and financial services where empirical economic modeling was critical.[7] Through 2015, BRG's early development emphasized organic growth alongside targeted talent recruitment, establishing a reputation for thought leadership in forensic economics and dispute resolution while maintaining a lean structure centered on specialist practices. The firm grew its professional staff, prioritizing hires with advanced degrees and litigation experience, which allowed it to secure roles in prominent cases involving class actions, government investigations, and bankruptcy proceedings. By mid-decade, BRG had solidified its U.S.-based operations, setting the stage for international expansion, with revenues reflecting steady increases driven by demand for unbiased, data-centric testimony amid rising regulatory scrutiny post-financial crisis.[20][7]Expansion and Strategic Investments (2016–Present)
In March 2017, Berkeley Research Group received a $62.5 million minority equity investment from affiliates of Endeavour Capital, providing capital to support operational expansion and service diversification.[21] The firm pursued targeted acquisitions to bolster specialized capabilities. In May 2019, BRG announced its agreement to acquire Prism Healthcare Partners, a Chicago-based consultancy focused on hospital performance improvement, with the deal closing on July 9, 2019; this integration expanded BRG's healthcare practice to approximately 350 consultants and generated combined annual revenue exceeding $225 million.[22][23] Later that year, in November 2019, BRG acquired Vista Analytics, a Washington, DC-based data analytics firm specializing in litigation and disputes, incorporating 12 experts to enhance big data and electronic discovery services.[24][25] Strategic internal developments complemented these moves. In September 2022, BRG's Corporate Finance practice launched the Strategic Performance Solutions group, integrating advisory services for operational optimization and value creation.[26] International footprint grew with the opening of a Bangkok office in July 2024, serving as a regional hub for Thailand and Mekong countries including Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, marking BRG's fifth Asia-Pacific location.[27] The firm also expanded its global competition economics practice in January 2024 through key hires in London.[28] On February 27, 2025, TowerBrook Capital Partners completed a majority equity investment in BRG, acquiring the stake from prior investor Endeavour Capital to accelerate growth in expert consulting services across economics, disputes, corporate finance, and forensics.[29][30] By this period, BRG maintained over 40 offices spanning six continents, reflecting sustained geographic and practice-area scaling.[31]Services and Practice Areas
Economics, Disputes, and Investigations
BRG's Economics, Disputes, and Investigations practice delivers consulting services focused on the application of economic principles to legal and business challenges, including the quantification of economic harm and analysis of complex causation in disputes. Experts within this area conduct empirical assessments supported by economic theory to evaluate damages from events such as alleged market manipulation or product liability, while forecasting potential liabilities for clients.[32] The practice encompasses damages analysis across contexts like antitrust claims, intellectual property infringements, securities litigation, healthcare disputes, labor and employment matters, and general commercial contracts.[32][33] In damages-related engagements, BRG provides independent economic analyses, litigation advisory support, and expert testimony presented in courts, arbitrations, mediations, or proceedings before regulatory agencies. These services address specific issues such as business interruption losses, merger and acquisition disputes, financial reporting irregularities, and contract breaches, drawing on multidisciplinary teams with sector-specific knowledge to integrate client data and institutional insights.[33] Methodologies emphasize advanced data analytics, statistical modeling, and valuation techniques to challenge conventional assumptions and produce defensible reports.[34][32] The firm's investigations component leverages expertise in accounting, finance, and forensic data analytics to support compliance reviews, sanctions evaluations, and anti-corruption inquiries, including matters under frameworks like the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).[35] BRG serves clients across multiple geographies and industries, including Fortune 500 companies and leading law firms, with a network of PhD-level economists trained at institutions such as MIT and UC Berkeley to ensure rigorous, cross-border perspectives.[34][32] This practice maintains a reputation for objective testimony and strategic advisory, prioritizing independence in high-stakes regulatory and adversarial settings.[34]Corporate Finance
BRG's Corporate Finance practice delivers multidisciplinary advisory services to lenders, companies, investors, and attorneys, emphasizing hands-on support in complex financial scenarios.[6] The group specializes in areas such as turnaround and restructuring, transaction advisory, valuations, and creditor committee advisory, drawing on professionals with operational and financial expertise to address challenges like distressed situations and strategic transactions.[6] This practice integrates real-world experience to provide tailored solutions, including financial modeling, due diligence, and performance optimization, often in high-stakes environments involving mergers, acquisitions, or bankruptcy proceedings.[4] Within turnaround and restructuring, BRG conducts comprehensive financial analyses, develops viability plans, supports bankruptcy filings and negotiations, pursues asset recovery, and offers interim crisis management to stabilize operations and maximize stakeholder value.[36] For instance, the firm assists in creditor advisory roles by evaluating debtor proposals, negotiating terms, and litigating disputes to protect lender interests in Chapter 11 cases or out-of-court workouts.[6] These services extend to regulatory compliance and risk mitigation, particularly in financial institutions facing liquidity or solvency issues.[37] The strategic performance solutions arm of the practice helps clients identify key priorities, implement improvement initiatives, and achieve measurable financial outcomes through data-driven diagnostics and execution support.[38] Transaction advisory encompasses valuations for disputes, expert testimony, and M&A due diligence, with experts providing independent assessments grounded in industry-specific benchmarks.[39] BRG's approach prioritizes practical, client-specific strategies over generic frameworks, leveraging multidisciplinary teams to navigate causal factors in financial distress or growth opportunities.[6] Globally, the practice operates with a focus on regions like Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where it applies similar expertise to local market dynamics while maintaining a unified methodology.[40] This includes advising on cross-border restructurings and investments, ensuring alignment with international regulatory standards.[4]Performance Improvement and Advisory
BRG's Performance Improvement and Advisory practice delivers high-impact strategic and business transformational solutions to address complex operational challenges for global, multinational, and domestic organizations.[41] The services emphasize evidence-based, data-driven methodologies that combine analytics, objective analysis, and innovative approaches to achieve sustainable, measurable improvements in performance.[41] Clients, including private equity firms, C-suite executives, and boards, engage BRG during critical inflection points such as market shifts, financial pressures, or post-merger integrations.[41] Core offerings span multiple domains, including revenue and growth strategies to expand market presence; financial excellence for budgeting and profitability enhancement; organizational excellence to streamline structures and talent management; cost optimization and sourcing/procurement for expense reduction; business process outsourcing and margin improvement for efficiency gains; transition and interim management during leadership gaps; mergers, acquisitions, and divestiture advisory for transaction support; and digital transformation incorporating artificial intelligence to modernize operations.[41] These interventions focus on causal drivers of underperformance, prioritizing empirical diagnostics over generic consultations to yield verifiable financial and operational outcomes.[41] In the healthcare sector, BRG targets providers such as hospitals, health systems, and academic medical centers to bolster margins through targeted enhancements in clinical, operational, and financial metrics across the care continuum.[42] Over the last decade, these efforts have generated nearly $1 billion in collective cost savings and revenue uplift for clients, via interventions in areas like supply chain expense reduction, labor cost controls, and clinical economics optimization.[42] Specific applications include comprehensive labor expense reductions in emergency departments, yielding captured savings through process redesign and staffing analytics, and revenue cycle overhauls for academic medical centers involving accounts receivable recovery, workflow alignment, and documentation improvements.[43][44] Beyond healthcare, the practice extends to retail and consumer goods, where operational transformations address issues like tariff impacts and competitive positioning to drive financial results.[45] Workforce performance initiatives, for instance, involve executive-level diagnostics to align organizational goals with productivity enhancements, as demonstrated in projects tackling executive leadership concerns around efficiency and scalability.[46] Overall, BRG's advisory integrates sector-specific expertise with rigorous quantification, ensuring recommendations withstand scrutiny through modeled projections and post-implementation tracking.[41]Research and Thought Leadership
BRG Review
BRG Review is the official peer-reviewed journal of Berkeley Research Group, LLC (BRG), featuring original research and analysis by the firm's experts, academics, and staff on topics at the intersection of economics, finance, law, and related disciplines.[47][48] Launched in 2011, the publication aims to provide empirical insights and thought leadership for audiences including economists, accountants, legal scholars, and industry executives, often addressing litigation consulting, regulatory challenges, and market dynamics.[49][50] Published on a biannual basis, BRG Review has released multiple volumes since its inception, with issues such as Volume 1 in 2011, Volume 2 Issue 1 in Summer 2012, Volume 9 in Winter 2022, and Volume 10 in Summer 2023.[16][49][51] Each edition typically includes peer-reviewed papers, an editorial letter on timely issues, and contributions from BRG personnel worldwide, emphasizing independent analysis over promotional content.[48][51] The journal's editorial oversight has been led by figures such as C. Paul Wazzan, Ph.D., serving as editor or editor-in-chief, with support from co-editors and staff in early volumes.[52][49] Content spans practical applications in disputes and investigations, including data analytics for fraud detection in healthcare, antitrust market definition, reasonable royalty calculations in intellectual property disputes, and efficiency metrics in securities litigation.[47][53][54] For instance, early issues examined R&D appropriation methods and arbitrage risk in market efficiency, while later ones addressed capital market reactions to economic shocks and throughput optimization in operations.[49] These papers draw on empirical data and first-hand consulting experience, distinguishing the journal from purely academic outlets by integrating real-world case histories, such as responses to government probes or housing crisis analyses.[56][57] As a vehicle for BRG's thought leadership, the Review underscores the firm's expertise in economics-driven consulting, with contributions often available via the company's insights platform and archived PDFs for public access.[58][59] Its peer-review process ensures scholarly rigor, though topics remain aligned with BRG's core practices in disputes, forensics, and advisory services.[48][51]Thinkset Publications
ThinkSet is a digital magazine published by Berkeley Research Group (BRG) that delivers expert analysis on emerging business, economic, and policy themes through contributions from BRG specialists and external voices.[60] Each issue examines a central topic from multiple perspectives, offering practical, jargon-free insights designed to inform strategic decision-making for executives.[60] The publication emphasizes actionable intelligence on trends such as regulatory shifts, technological disruptions, and market dynamics, drawing on BRG's consulting expertise in economics, finance, and investigations.[58] Launched as part of BRG's thought leadership efforts, ThinkSet underwent a significant digital reimagining in May 2019 to enhance accessibility and timeliness, incorporating expanded online content, mobile-friendly formats, diverse contributor inputs, and multimedia elements like podcasts.[61] This update introduced the "Intelligence That Works" podcast series, featuring discussions with industry figures on topics ranging from antitrust innovation to supply chain risks, complementing the magazine's written articles.[61] The ThinkSet Podcast, hosted by BRG's Michael Whalen, further extends this by interviewing experts on finance, healthcare, and security issues, with episodes accumulating listener engagement since its inception.[62] Notable issues include the Spring 2025 edition "Antitrust Across the Atlantic," which explores transatlantic competition policy differences and algorithmic pricing risks through BRG's antitrust practice contributions; this issue earned a Gold MarCom Award in October 2025 for editorial and design excellence in partnership with Greentarget.[63] The Summer 2025 "Infrastructure Everywhere" issue (No. 09) addresses how energy demands, data centers, and industrial expansions are reshaping global infrastructure amid funding surges and disputes.[64] Earlier releases cover "Aging Infrastructure, New Opportunities," highlighting rehabilitation challenges for governments and investors.[65] Annual Outlook series provide sector-specific forecasts, such as the 2025 edition forecasting impacts from new U.S. policies, AI adoption, labor markets, and global investments across industries like healthcare and life sciences.[66] The 2024 series analyzed rapid AI integration, clean energy transitions, cryptocurrency volatility, and ESG scrutiny pushback.[67] These publications, edited by figures like Matthew Caselli and overseen by Chairman Emeritus David Teece, position BRG as a source of forward-looking analysis grounded in empirical consulting data.[68][60]Industry Reports and Insights
Berkeley Research Group (BRG) disseminates industry reports and insights via its dedicated Insights platform, which aggregates expert analyses on economic trends, transaction activity, regulatory developments, and sector-specific forecasts. These publications draw on proprietary data, expert interviews, and macroeconomic indicators to inform clients in areas such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), healthcare, and emerging technologies.[58] The firm's Quarterly M&A Report, issued periodically, compiles geographic and industry-level data alongside BRG's proprietary assessments of global M&A activity, highlighting deal volumes, valuations, and market dynamics as of Q2 2025.[69] Similarly, the Corporate Finance Quarterly GP Report for Q1 2025 examines performance metrics, news, and valuation multiples for select public general partners (GPs), providing benchmarks for private equity and investment trends.[70] Macroeconomic overviews feature prominently in BRG's Key Economic Data Report for 2024 and 2025, which evaluates indicators including GDP growth, consumer confidence, inflation-adjusted earnings, employment rates, housing markets, and auto sales to contextualize broader economic conditions.[71] Sector-focused outlooks, such as the 2025 US Healthcare & Life Sciences Transactions Outlook, project a rebound in deal activity driven by technological advancements, supplemented by qualitative insights from industry professionals and BRG specialists.[72] BRG also addresses disputes and innovations through reports like the sixth-annual M&A Disputes Report 2025, which incorporates expert analyses and stakeholder interviews to outline common litigation risks in transactions.[73] Technology-oriented publications include the BRG Global AI Regulation Report, tracking international policy frameworks, and "AI and the Future of Healthcare," which explores AI applications for non-experts and practitioners alike.[74][75] These efforts position BRG as a resource for data-driven strategic decision-making across industries.[58]Leadership and Personnel
Founders and Executive Leadership
Berkeley Research Group (BRG) was co-founded in February 2010 by David J. Teece, a professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in industrial organization, technological change, innovation, and intellectual property, and John "Tri" MacDonald, an expert in healthcare economics, financial analysis, and consulting with over 30 years of experience in sectors including life sciences, insurance, and government contracting.[15][76] Teece, holding a PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, brought academic rigor and global consulting experience in antitrust and competition policy, while MacDonald contributed operational leadership from prior roles at firms like LECG.[15][77] As of 2025, BRG's executive leadership is headed by Tri MacDonald, who serves as Chief Executive Officer and President, overseeing strategic direction, operations, and the firm's health analytics practice.[78] David Teece holds the position of Chairman Emeritus following his transition from executive chairman amid a February 2025 acquisition by TowerBrook Capital Partners, though he remains involved as a professional advisor and thought leader.[78][79] Key supporting executives include Dave M. Johnson, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, with extensive experience in financial services and capital markets including a prior role as CFO of the International Rescue Committee; and Eric Miller, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, focused on legal affairs in professional services firms.[78] This structure emphasizes a blend of academic expertise, financial acumen, and operational efficiency to drive BRG's consulting services in economics, disputes, and corporate advisory.[78]Notable Experts and Contributors
David J. Teece, a professor of business administration and finance at the University of California, Berkeley, co-founded Berkeley Research Group in 2010 and serves as its Chairman Emeritus.[15] Teece is recognized for his expertise in industrial organization, technological change, innovation, and antitrust matters, providing testimony and analysis in high-profile disputes.[80] His contributions include pioneering work on dynamic capabilities and profiting from innovation, influencing BRG's approach to economic consulting and strategic advisory services.[81] BRG employs numerous academics and specialists recognized in independent evaluations such as Who's Who Legal Consulting Experts. In the 2023 edition, over 60 BRG professionals were ranked across categories including competition economics, where Teece was sought for antitrust expertise, alongside Rosa Abrantes-Metz for market manipulation and collusion analyses, and David Kaplan as a pioneer in price-fixing cases.[80] The 2024 edition similarly highlighted more than 60 experts, with Abrantes-Metz noted as a "go-to economist" and others like Jas Cheema praised for quantum analysis in construction disputes.[82] David Sunding, Vice Chairman and co-lead of BRG's Economics, Disputes & Investigations practice, contributes over 25 years of experience in antitrust, product liability, and environmental economics, frequently testifying in complex litigation.[78] Other contributors include forensic accountants and economists like Ben Johnson, esteemed for asset recovery and investigations in global disputes.[80] These experts draw from academia, industry, and prior regulatory roles to support BRG's work in damages assessment and regulatory compliance.[78]Business Operations and Growth
Global Offices and Presence
Berkeley Research Group (BRG) operates a global network exceeding 40 offices across six continents, including Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, North America, and UK and Europe, facilitating coordinated delivery of consulting services in economics, disputes, investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement.[83] The firm's headquarters is in Emeryville, California, anchoring extensive North American operations with offices in major U.S. cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area, alongside a presence in Canada.[84][31] In Asia-Pacific, BRG maintains regional hubs in Hong Kong—its first office in the region, established in 2015—and Singapore, supplemented by locations in Australia, mainland China, Japan, and Thailand to address markets across Southeast Asia, Korea, and India.[85][86] European operations are based in the UK, Belgium, France, and Italy, while the Middle East and Africa are covered from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Johannesburg in South Africa, extending to Eastern Europe.[87] Latin American activities center on an office in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where teams specialize in arbitration supported by U.S.-based colleagues.[88]Acquisitions, Partnerships, and Financial Backing
In March 2017, Berkeley Research Group received a $62.5 million minority equity investment from affiliates of Endeavour Capital to fund organic growth initiatives and provide partial liquidity to early seed investors.[89] On February 27, 2025, private equity firm TowerBrook Capital Partners announced a majority equity investment in BRG, enabling Endeavour Capital to exit its position while supporting BRG's expansion in expert services and consulting.[90][29] BRG completed the acquisition of healthcare consultancy Prism Healthcare Partners on July 9, 2019, through an equity ownership transaction that integrated Prism's revenue cycle management and operational improvement expertise into BRG's offerings.[22][23] BRG has formed targeted partnerships to enhance its technological and research capabilities. In November 2022, BRG entered a strategic collaboration with the Association of Certified eDiscovery Specialists (ACEDS) to deliver research and insights on artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in e-discovery to ACEDS's global community.[91] BRG maintains ongoing partnerships with software providers such as Relativity for e-discovery solutions and Canopy for privacy consulting and data breach response services.[92][93]Reception and Impact
Achievements and Market Position
Berkeley Research Group (BRG) holds a leading position in the niche market of expert consulting services, focusing on economics, disputes and investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement advisory. Founded in 2010, the firm has expanded to over 40 offices across six continents, positioning it as a global player that advises major law firms, corporations, and government entities on complex litigation, regulatory matters, and strategic challenges.[7] Its specialization in providing independent expert testimony and data-driven analysis distinguishes it from broader management consultancies, with recognition in industry rankings underscoring its expertise in high-stakes disputes and economic consulting.[94] BRG has received multiple accolades affirming its market standing. In 2025, it earned a Band 2 ranking from Chambers and Partners in the Global Cybersecurity Risk category, highlighting its capabilities in risk assessment and client delivery.[95] Forbes included BRG on its list of the World's Best Management Consulting Firms for the fourth consecutive year in 2025.[96] Additionally, Global Competition Review designated BRG as an "Outstanding" economic consultancy in its GCR 100: Economics 2025, the 12th straight year of this top-tier evaluation, reflecting consistent peer and client assessments of its antitrust and competition economics work.[97] The firm's early growth trajectory further illustrates its achievements, reaching approximately $30 million in revenue and 200 employees by the end of its inaugural year, enabling rapid scaling to serve international clients.[16] Employee estimates as of 2024-2025 range from 1,600 to over 1,900 across sources, supporting operations in specialized practices like AI applications and forensic investigations.[20][98]Criticisms, Controversies, and Legal Challenges
In March 2025, Berkeley Research Group (BRG) experienced a ransomware attack that compromised its network, with unauthorized access occurring between February 28 and March 2.[99] The breach affected sensitive data in at least ten bankruptcy proceedings involving Catholic dioceses and archdioceses across the United States, including claims from clergy sexual abuse survivors in cases such as the Archdiocese of Baltimore and Diocese of Vermont.[13][100] BRG paid an undisclosed ransom to the hackers, who provided a destruction log claiming the stolen data—potentially including survivor information—had been deleted, though U.S. Department of Justice attorneys raised concerns about possible exposure and questioned BRG's data handling practices in these proceedings.[101][102] The incident prompted criticism over BRG's cybersecurity measures, given its role as a financial advisor managing confidential claimant data in high-stakes bankruptcy restructurings.[103] BRG denied liability for the breach's origins or any resulting harm, asserting it contained the attack promptly and cooperated with authorities, but the event delayed proceedings and heightened scrutiny of third-party vendors in sensitive legal matters.[100] In response, a class action lawsuit, J.M. v. Berkeley Research Group, LLC, was filed on May 16, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging damages, injunctive relief, and violations related to the breach's impact on affected individuals.[104] BRG has also faced legal challenges from competitor FTI Consulting over the recruitment of key personnel. In 2016, FTI sued former employees who joined BRG, accusing them of breaching non-compete agreements, soliciting clients, and fiduciary duties after three principals and 33 others departed, prompting countersuits from BRG.[105] A 2022 jury verdict awarding FTI $21 million against the ex-employees was vacated on appeal in July 2024 by the Massachusetts Appeals Court, which found insufficient evidence for breach claims and directed judgment in the defendants' favor.[106] Earlier New York litigation in 2018 upheld BRG's position on contract terms in a related dispute.[107] These cases highlight tensions in the consulting industry's talent mobility but did not result in sustained penalties against BRG.References
- https://www.[linkedin](/page/LinkedIn).com/posts/berkeley-research-group-llc_brg-review-berkeley-research-group-activity-7084947045744070656-qlH0