Development Specialists
Development Specialists (DSI Consulting) is a Chicago-based, employee-owned management consulting and financial advisory firm founded in 1977 that provides turnaround consulting, restructuring, forensic accounting, litigation support, and third-party fiduciary services to distressed companies, boards, lenders, and creditor committees across eight U.S. and U.K. offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Development Specialists does
Development Specialists, Inc. (DSI), operating as DSI Consulting, is a privately-held management consulting and financial advisory firm founded in 1977 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm specializes in turnaround consulting, financial restructuring, forensic accounting, litigation support and expert testimony, and third-party fiduciary services, acting as assignee, receiver, trustee, CRO, and plan administrator in distressed and bankruptcy situations. Its client base spans corporate management, boards of directors, secured lenders and financial institutions, bondholders, creditor committees, and government bodies, with a horizontal segmentation approach that addresses needs across multiple industries rather than a single vertical.
The firm delivers services through a team of 51-100 professionals across eight offices in the United States (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Columbus/Dublin, Wilmington, New York, Fort Lauderdale) and London, with the London office operated in conjunction with Williams Consulting International. DSI does not operate technology products, software platforms, or APIs; revenue is generated entirely through professional service fees, with engagements typically structured as court-appointed fiduciary roles (Chapter 11 trustee, liquidating trustee, plan administrator, receiver) or advisory mandates (financial advisor to debtors, creditors, or committees). The firm has handled matters involving billion-dollar companies such as Breed Technologies, Highland Capital Management, and Dana Corporation, and has received industry recognition including repeat Outstanding Turnaround Firm awards from Turnarounds & Workouts (2021-2023).
Following the death of founder William A. 'Bill' Brandt Jr. in 2023, the firm transitioned from 100% founder ownership to an employee ownership structure in January 2024, with Bradley D. Sharp installed as President & CEO. The firm maintains a DSI Civic affiliate focused on government restructuring and is led by an experienced bench of Senior Managing Directors and Managing Directors. Revenue, profitability, headcount growth, and backlog figures are not publicly disclosed, limiting financial visibility for external analysts.
Development Specialists firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Development Specialists
- Legal name
- Development Specialists, Inc.
- Website
- https://dsiconsulting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Development Specialists (DSI Consulting) is a Chicago-based, employee-owned management consulting and financial advisory firm founded in 1977 that provides turnaround consulting, restructuring, forensic accounting, litigation support, and third-party fiduciary services to distressed companies, boards, lenders, and creditor committees across eight U.S. and U.K. offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Development Specialists industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Management Consulting and Financial Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Distressed M&A & Special Situations Advisory (BPAHAOAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Distressed M&A & Special Situations Advisory (BPAHADAN)
Keywords
Where Development Specialists is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Development Specialists business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Financial Advisory and Consulting Services: DSI generates revenue through professional service fees for turnaround consulting, restructuring advisory, forensic accounting, litigation support, and fiduciary services. Engagements include CRO roles, financial advisor positions, trustee appointments, and consulting mandates for distressed businesses and their stakeholders.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Development Specialists product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Development Specialists, Inc. (DSI) is a management consulting and financial advisory firm that provides professional services to distressed companies and their stakeholders. Its core offerings include turnaround consulting, corporate finance advisory, forensic accounting, litigation support and expert testimony, and third-party fiduciary services (acting as assignee, receiver, trustee, and plan administrator) in bankruptcy and restructuring contexts.
Product overview
DSI Consulting is a management consulting and financial advisory firm offering professional services rather than a software product platform. The company provides five interconnected service lines: Restructuring Advisory Services (turnaround consulting and crisis management), Corporate Finance Services (financial advisory and transaction support), Forensic Accounting (fraud investigation and analysis), Litigation Support and Expert Testimony Services (expert witness and litigation consulting), and Third-Party Fiduciary Services (acting as assignee, receiver, trustee, and plan administrator). These services are delivered through the firm's team of professionals across offices in the United States and London, serving clients including business owners, corporate management, boards of directors, financial institutions, and creditor committees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Restructuring Advisory Services
- Corporate Finance Services
- Forensic Accounting
- Litigation Support and Expert Testimony Services
- Third-Party Fiduciary Services
Companies that use Development Specialists
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Development Specialists technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Development Specialists partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Williams Consulting InternationalminorDSI's London office operates in conjunction with Williams Consulting International, providing services to clients requiring UK or European expertise.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Development Specialists competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Berkeley Research Group: Expert services and consulting firm specializing in restructuring, forensic accounting, and litigation economics — a direct competitor in DSI's niche.
- FTI Consulting: Major global advisory firm with a Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment that competes directly with DSI on creditor-side advisory, forensic accounting, and turnaround mandates.
- Huron Consulting Group: Public consulting firm with a Business Advisory segment covering restructuring, turnaround, and distressed advisory work that directly overlaps DSI's offerings.
- AlixPartners: Global turnaround and restructuring consulting firm with deep Chapter 11 and interim-management capabilities, the most direct competitor for DSI's middle- and large-cap restructuring engagements.
- Kroll: Global advisory firm with restructuring, forensic accounting, and litigation support practices that compete with DSI across multiple service lines.
- Alvarez & Marsal: Global professional services firm widely recognized for interim management, CRO services, and restructuring advisory — closely overlapping DSI's core service lines.
- Conway MacKenzie: Mid-market restructuring and turnaround advisory firm that competes with DSI in the lower-middle-market distressed and bankruptcy advisory space.
Emerging players
- Epiq Systems: Provider of bankruptcy administration, claims management, and corporate restructuring services — adjacent to DSI's third-party fiduciary practice.
Broad incumbents
- BDO USA: Large national accounting and advisory network whose restructuring practice competes with DSI on middle-market Chapter 11 and turnaround engagements.
- B. Riley Financial: Diversified financial services platform with a restructuring and advisory segment that intersects DSI's distressed-M&A and special-situations practice.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Development Specialists social profiles
Digital presenceDevelopment Specialists financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Development Specialists leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Development Specialists subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Development Specialists funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Development Specialists M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Development Specialists
What does Development Specialists do?
Development Specialists, Inc. (DSI) is a management consulting and financial advisory firm that provides professional services to distressed companies and their stakeholders. Its core offerings include turnaround consulting, corporate finance advisory, forensic accounting, litigation support and expert testimony, and third-party fiduciary services (acting as assignee, receiver, trustee, and plan administrator) in bankruptcy and restructuring contexts.
Is Development Specialists a public or private company?
Development Specialists is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Development Specialists founded?
Development Specialists was founded in 1977. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Development Specialists based?
Development Specialists is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Development Specialists make money?
One revenue line is on record: financial Advisory and Consulting Services.
Who are Development Specialists's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Berkeley Research Group, FTI Consulting, Huron Consulting Group, AlixPartners, Kroll, Alvarez & Marsal and Conway MacKenzie. Epiq Systems is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are BDO USA and B. Riley Financial.
Does Development Specialists have an API?
No public API is recorded for Development Specialists.
What industry is Development Specialists in?
Development Specialists's product category is Management Consulting and Financial Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAH, Distressed M&A & Special Situations Advisory, with a secondary code of BPAHADAN, Distressed M&A & Special Situations Advisory. Its NAICS code is 54161.