Johnson Lambert

What Johnson Lambert does

Johnson Lambert LLP is a privately held Virginia-based CPA and advisory firm founded in 1986 by former Ernst & Whinney (now EY) insurance practice leaders Larry Johnson and Debbie Lambert. The firm is structured as an independent limited liability partnership with no parent company, private equity, or venture capital backing, and is governed by its partners, with Brandy Vannoy currently serving as Managing Partner from the Raleigh office. Johnson Lambert maintains offices in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and New Jersey and operates within the DFK International/USA association for international reach.

The firm delivers audit, tax, and advisory services across three specialized verticals: insurance entities (commercial P&C, life, health, captive insurance, risk retention groups, public entity risk pools, and MGAs), nonprofit organizations (trade associations, foundations, public charities, religious-affiliated organizations, and CDFIs), and employee benefit plans (401(k), 403(b), pension, and health and welfare plans). Core audit and assurance work is augmented by tax compliance and planning, premium tax services, reinsurance accounting automation, MAR compliance, SB 253 climate disclosure attestation, SOC reporting, cybersecurity assessments, cedent audits, system implementation reviews, ERM consulting, and quality of earnings reviews. Proprietary assets include agile audit plan methodologies for cedents, automated cedent testing workflows with premium and claim trend analytics, revenue recognition templates for MGAs, MAR risk assessment tools, and an ERM documentation toolkit.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees tied to engagement scope and complexity, with new client acquisition driven by RFP submissions, industry conference presence, referrals, and active involvement in regulatory bodies such as the AICPA Insurance Expert Panel and NAIC/AICPA Task Force. The firm ranks #110 on the INSIDE Public Accounting Top 200, 5th largest auditor of P&C insurers and 9th largest auditor of life insurers per A.M. Best, and serves approximately 21% of the risk retention group sector.

Name

Johnson Lambert

Legal name

Johnson Lambert LLP

Website

https://johnsonlambert.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Johnson Lambert is a 40-year-old, partner-owned CPA firm providing audit, tax, and advisory services exclusively to insurance entities, nonprofit organizations, and employee benefit plans across the United States, ranked 5th largest auditor of P&C insurers by A.M. Best.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Accounting and Advisory Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Finance & CFO Services (BPAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Risk, Compliance & Internal Controls Consulting (BPAHACAJ)

Keywords

• Audit and assurance services
• Insurance industry accounting
• Nonprofit audit services
• Employee benefit plan audits
• Tax and advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Audit and Assurance Services: Financial statement audits, reviews, agreed-upon procedures, and SOC reports for insurance entities, nonprofits, and employee benefit plans. Revenue generated through engagement fees based on scope and complexity of audit requirements.
2. Tax Services: Tax compliance, provision preparation, planning, and consulting services. Includes federal and state income tax preparation, premium tax filings, and captive insurance tax opinions. Revenue generated through professional service fees.
3. Advisory and Consulting Services: Internal audit outsourcing/co-sourcing, MAR compliance, ERM services, cybersecurity assessments, system implementation reviews, cedent audits, reinsurance accounting automation, quality of earnings reviews, and climate disclosure attestation. Revenue generated through project-based or retainer engagement fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Johnson Lambert is a CPA and advisory firm providing audit and assurance, tax, and consulting services exclusively to three industries: insurance entities (commercial insurers, captives, risk retention groups, MGAs, public entity risk pools), nonprofit organizations, and employee benefit plans. The firm delivers financial statement audits, tax compliance and planning, SOC reporting, internal audit outsourcing, MAR compliance, SB 253 climate disclosure attestation, cedent audits, reinsurance accounting automation, cybersecurity assessments, ERM services, and quality of earnings reviews.

Product overview

Johnson Lambert offers a unified professional services portfolio comprising Audit and Assurance Services, Tax Services, and Consulting Services as the three core pillars. The Audit and Assurance Services practice provides financial statement audits, reviews, and SOC reporting, augmented by specialized offerings including Premium Tax Services and Reinsurance Accounting Automation. The Tax Services practice covers federal/state income tax, premium tax, and captive-specific tax matters. The Consulting Services umbrella encompasses Internal Audit, MAR Compliance, SB 253 Climate Disclosure Attestation, Cedent Audits, Cybersecurity Assessments, System Implementation Reviews, ERM Services, and Quality of Earnings Reviews. The firm also maintains dedicated industry practices for insurance entities (commercial, captive, MGAs, public entity risk pools, risk retention groups), nonprofits, and employee benefit plans, serving 750+ insurance clients, hundreds of nonprofits, and 75+ employee benefit plans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Audit and Assurance Services Financial statement audits, reviews, agreed-upon procedures, and SOC reporting delivered to insurance entities, nonprofits, and employee benefit plans, using data analytics and streamlined technology workflows.
• Tax Services Industry-focused tax compliance, provision preparation, planning, and consulting for commercial insurance, captive insurance, risk retention groups, nonprofits, and employee benefit plans.
• Consulting Services Customized advisory and consulting solutions including risk advisory, technology/system advisory, accounting advisory, and transformation/integration services for insurance and nonprofit organizations.
• Premium Tax Services Multi-state premium tax and retaliatory filings, quarterly estimates, and municipal filing evaluation for commercial insurers and Risk Retention Groups.
• Internal Audit Services Outsourced, co-sourced, and advisory internal audit support tailored for insurance and nonprofit organizations, including SOX 404 and Model Audit Rule compliance.
• Reinsurance Accounting Automation End-to-end automation for reinsurance accounting, including workflow development, documentation, operational delivery, and year-end reporting support for property and casualty insurers.
• Model Audit Rule (MAR) Compliance Services MAR compliance solutions including program development, risk assessment, control testing, internal audit assistance, and ICFR certification for insurers crossing $300M or $500M premium thresholds.
• SB 253 Climate Disclosure Attestation Independent assurance over Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions disclosures under AICPA attestation standards for insurers subject to California's SB 253.
• Cedent Audits Data-driven audits of cedents providing insights into premium and loss data, using automated testing workflows and premium/claim trend analytics.
• SOC Reports SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 2 Plus, SOC 3, and Cybersecurity SOC examinations for service organizations.
• Cybersecurity Assessments Cybersecurity assessments utilizing NIST, NYDFS, CIS, COBIT, AICPA Trust Services, and ISO 27001 frameworks, including tabletop reviews, program design, and operational effectiveness assessments.
• System Implementation Reviews Pre- and post-implementation assessments evaluating project management methodology, security, testing, interface, data conversion, and release approvals for system transformations.
• ERM Services Enterprise Risk Management consulting including ERM toolkit, remote team support, and comprehensive guidance for building customized risk management programs.
• Quality of Earnings (QoE) Reviews Quality of earnings reviews for insurance and related entities in M&A transactions, covering both buy-side and sell-side due diligence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 750+ insurance entity clients served
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DFK International/USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Johnson Lambert is an independent member of DFK International/USA, a worldwide association of independent accounting and management consulting firms. With locations in over 40 major markets throughout the United States and representation in over 90 countries worldwide, DFK is one of the world's major international associations of independent accounting firms and business advisors. This membership enhances the firm's worldwide reach, provides additional resources, and expands opportunities for clients.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Withum: Top-30 U.S. CPA and advisory firm with a nationally recognized insurance practice serving insurers, captives, MGAs and RRGs. Directly competes with Johnson Lambert for insurance audit, tax and advisory engagements in the same mid-market and upper-mid-market segments.
• Moss Adams: Top-15 U.S. accounting and business advisory firm with a dedicated insurance practice and a strong nonprofit/EBP specialty. Overlaps directly with Johnson Lambert's three core verticals and competes for similar middle-market engagements.
• Forvis: Top-10 U.S. CPA firm formed from the BKD/Dixon Hughes Goodman merger with established insurance, nonprofit and EBP practices. Competes head-to-head with Johnson Lambert across the same three verticals at a slightly larger scale.
• Plante Moran: Top-15 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with a recognized insurance industry group serving commercial insurers, captives and risk pools. Direct competitor for insurance audit and advisory work, particularly in the Midwest and East Coast.
• Eide Bailly: Top-25 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with established insurance, nonprofit and EBP practices. A close direct competitor of Johnson Lambert in the middle-market, particularly in the Midwest and Mountain West.

Broad incumbents

• BDO USA: Top-5 global accounting network with a sizable insurance industry practice spanning audit, tax and advisory. Competes with Johnson Lambert for larger insurance audit engagements while offering a much broader cross-industry portfolio.
• Baker Tilly US: Top-10 U.S. advisory, tax and assurance firm with an insurance industry practice and a meaningful nonprofit/EBP group. Overlaps with Johnson Lambert across the three core verticals but operates at a broader, multi-industry scale.
• RSM US: Top-5 U.S. middle-market accounting firm with insurance, nonprofit and EBP practices. Competes for similar middle-market audit and advisory engagements while serving a much broader industry mix.
• Crowe LLP: Top-10 U.S. public accounting and consulting firm with a dedicated insurance practice and a strong financial services audit portfolio. Competes with Johnson Lambert for insurance audit, tax and advisory engagements.

Emerging players

• PYA (Pershing Yoakley & Associates): National advisory and CPA firm with strong healthcare and insurance verticals and growing EBP expertise. A more focused emerging competitor whose insurance and regulated-industry practice overlaps meaningfully with Johnson Lambert's niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/johnson_lambert
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/johnsonlambert
• Facebookfacebook.com/johnsonlambertcpa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/92051
• Instagraminstagram.com/JL_careers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Johnson Lambert