Kaye Scholer’s financial performance took a remarkable beating in its last year as an independent law firm. But managing partner Michael Solow called the 2016 declines a natural result of strategic pruning ahead of the firm’s merger with Arnold & Porter at year’s end.

Gross revenue at Kaye Scholer in 2016 fell 13.5 percent to $320 million. Profits per equity partner dropped 25.4 percent to $1.03 million, as net income plummeted 31.8 percent to $90 million.