Then why did they do it?
That the question.
Who wants that for such a law firm? Who wants to work for such a firm?
They didn't think ahead or the consequences of their action. Wildly lucrative institutions don't sell themselves off to competitors.
Any assumption that it was crazy lucrative is based on a need for things to make sense.
Pity won't save anyone from a cult.
A cult can feed on outsider's pity.