Only a few jurisdictions (notably Arizona, via Alternative Business Structures) allow non-lawyer ownership of law firms. Everywhere else, capital reaches law practices through MSOs: the firm remains lawyer-owned on paper while an investor-owned service company runs, and profits from, its operations.
In mass torts MSOs matter because they are one of the channels through which litigation-finance capital shapes case acquisition — including buying into distressed firms. See also: litigation funding.
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