As the Big Four accounting firms continue their long-anticipated foray into the global legal market, it’s the independent law firms in medium-sized markets—not the global heavyweights—that have the most to fear, according to a recent report from the president of the Association of International Law Firm Networks.

But AILF president Stephen McGarry isn’t a disinterested observer. He says these firms can counter the threat through getting involved in legal networks, facilitated by a database he founded that links a number of these networks.