McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie

What McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie does

McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie (MWL) is a private architecture firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, with a second office in Ashland, Virginia. The firm operates exclusively within the public safety and forensic science facility niche, organizing its work into two practice areas: Public Safety (law enforcement, courts, fire/EMS, and criminal justice facilities) and The Sciences (forensic laboratories, medical examiner facilities, academic and research environments). Since founding, MWL has completed approximately 450 projects, supported by a principal team that includes the two founders (Jim McClaren and David Wilson) plus three additional principals (Bonnie Carver, Russell McElroy, Dean Roberts) added between 2006 and 2008.

The firm's service portfolio spans the full lifecycle of facility delivery: space needs assessments, master planning, feasibility studies, site planning, programming, architectural design, owner's technical advisory, and construction administration. Beyond traditional design services, MWL has introduced custom training seminars to extend client engagement into knowledge transfer. The firm's work has been recognized by professional bodies including the AIA (including Academy on Architecture for Health and Justice awards), the Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI), and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC).

MWL generates revenue through project-based professional services fees on government and academic facility contracts, primarily across federal, state, county, and municipal agencies in the United States and Canada, with international engagements in Singapore, Haiti, the UAE, the UK, Belgium, and China. The firm's client roster includes agencies such as the FBI and city police departments including Phoenix, San Francisco, Dallas, and New York. Distribution is supported by a procurement-facing infrastructure (RFP upload system, downloadable brochures) that aligns with public-sector procurement workflows.

Name

McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie

Legal name

McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie, Inc.

Website

https://mwlarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie is a private architecture firm founded in 1995 that specializes exclusively in designing public safety and forensic science facilities for government and academic clients across North America and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture services including pre-design planning, programming, design, and construction administration for public safety and forensic science facilities. Revenue is generated through project-based fees tied to scope, complexity, and construction value of each engagement.
2. Owner's Technical Advisor Services: Consultation services provided directly to project owners, including RFP development for design procurement, building delivery method analysis, specialty detailing expertise, equipment selection support, and construction phase support.
3. Custom Training and Seminars: Customizable two-day facility planning seminars offered to police agencies at a flat fee, accommodating up to 25 attendees from multiple agencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie (MWL) is an architecture firm that provides planning, programming, design, and construction administration services exclusively for public safety and forensic science facilities. Its offerings include space needs assessments, master planning, feasibility studies, site planning, programming, design, owner's technical advisor, and construction administration for police/fire headquarters, 911/emergency operations centers, firearms ranges, forensic laboratories, medical examiner facilities, and bio-safety level 3/4 containment labs.

Product overview

McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie (MWL) is an architecture firm providing specialized design and planning services for public safety and forensic science facilities. Rather than a software product, MWL offers a comprehensive suite of architecture and consulting services including Space Needs Assessments, Master Planning, Feasibility Studies, Site Planning, Programming, Design, Owner's Technical Advisor, and Construction Administration. The firm also provides custom training seminars on Police Facility Planning, Design & Construction. MWL has completed nearly 450 diverse projects throughout the United States and Canada since 1995, serving federal, state, county, municipal, and academic clients across police headquarters, forensic laboratories, medical examiner facilities, and public safety training centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Space Needs Assessments
• Master Planning
• Feasibility Studies
• Site Planning
• Programming
• Design Services
• Owner's Technical Advisor
• Construction Administration
• Planning, Design & Construction of Police Facilities Training Seminar

Named customers15 records

Segments4 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

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SmithGroup: National design firm with a Justice & Public Safety practice. Competes with MWL on federal, state, and university forensic and law enforcement facility commissions including campus police and research labs.
• DLR Group: Full-service AEC firm with an established Civic + Public Safety practice. Overlaps with MWL on municipal law enforcement, fire, and emergency operations center projects, particularly in the western US.
• HOK (now Populous + HOK): Major global architecture firm with a Justice+Civic practice. Competes with MWL on high-profile federal and municipal public safety projects with larger fee envelopes and integrated design teams.
• HKS: Large architectural practice with public sector and government work, including civic and public safety projects. Overlaps with MWL on larger municipal and federal procurements requiring scaled delivery.
• HDR Inc. Large global architecture/engineering firm with a public safety and justice practice. Competes with MWL on larger, integrated-delivery procurements where full-service bundling is required by the client.
• Stantec: Global design and engineering consultancy with public sector and community development practices. Engages on larger municipal police, justice, and forensic facility programs that benefit from integrated services.

Direct peers

• Leo A Daly: Architectural firm with deep public safety and justice building portfolio including police headquarters, courthouses, and emergency facilities. Direct competitor to MWL on similar municipal RFPs.
• Wier Boerner Allin Architecture: Specialist architecture firm focused on public safety, justice, and civic facility design. Closest direct niche peer to MWL, competing for similar police, fire, and municipal RFPs across the US.

Emerging players

• WATG: Design firm with a growing public sector and justice portfolio. Less specialized than MWL but increasingly competing on civic and municipal facility commissions, particularly with international scope.

Others

• National Institute of Corrections (NIC): Federal agency that publishes standards and guidance for correctional and justice facilities. Not a competitor but an influential ecosystem participant whose standards shape MWL's design specifications and RFP requirements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mwl-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 McClaren, Wilson & Lawrie