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Law.com exclusive: Compagnoni and Wood, described in the title as Weil rainmakers, are in talks to join Sidley. The summary says the two London leaders are in talks with a rival firm, following last week's announcement of the firm's dissolution.
Couderc Dinh & Associés welcomes Renée Kaddouch-Kulbach as partner to develop its corporate law and M&A practice. She has over twenty years' experience at international firms and in entrepreneurial roles between France and Southeast Asia. She becomes the firm's seventh partner, according to Emmanuel Dinh.
Fabien Rorato joins Celsius Avocats as partner to strengthen M&A and private equity and add support for industrial groups. He was previously partner at Oxynomia Avocats (2019-2024) and Chaintrier Avocats (2024-2026), and earlier worked at HPML and UGGC Avocats. Celsius was founded five years ago by Romain Castelli and Paul Tecklenburg and operates in Paris and Marseille.
SourcesLe Monde du Droit — NominationsLe Monde du Droit — Nominations
A Bluesky post says Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is in talks to bring on around 120 lawyers from Weil, Gotshal & Manges in the United States and London. It says this would be the largest group hire since Weil's leadership recommended dissolving the firm last week. The post links a Reuters short URL.
Per JUVE, four Taylor Wessing partners are expected to move with their teams to Addleshaw Goddard's Munich practice, about 20 professionals in total. The group strengthens Addleshaw in restructuring and transactions.
SourcesJUVELaw.com — International EditionLTO — Kanzleien & Unternehmen
Gibson Dunn is to hire over 80 lawyers from Weil's private funds team in the US, including more than 20 partners. The Law.com exclusive says this takes the firm's total Weil private funds hires to around 120 over the last week.
SourcesLaw.com — International EditionLaw.com network — Legal News (FeedBlitz)Bluesky — Big Law searchBluesky — Big Law searchBluesky — Big Law searchBluesky — Big Law searchBluesky — Big Law searchBluesky — Big Law search
Paul Hastings takes a four-lawyer DLA Piper team across Brussels and London. The partner moves with three associates and will co-lead the firm's Brussels office. The partner's name and practice area are not stated.
Gibson Dunn is set to hire Weil's nearly 50-lawyer New York private funds team, amid Weil's proposed wind-down announced Wednesday 28 October. It follows Gibson's hire of Weil's London funds team of nearly 40 lawyers a week earlier. The team is led by global private funds head Andrew Chizzik.
SourcesLegal BusinessLaw360 — Legal IndustryAbove the LawBluesky — Big Law search
BDO Avocats named Naouele Benhaddou (employment and social security law) and Emmanuelle Brachet-Brault (corporate law) as partners through internal promotion. It also added Laurence Toxé (tax) and David Simhon (health and regulatory law) as new partners. Toxé was previously a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, PwC Société d'Avocats and KPMG Société d'Avocats.
Pierre-Luc Nisol joins the Lyon office as partner (avocat associé) with his team to build employment and social security law. Team: senior lawyer Morgane Tavernier, a junior collaborator and a legal assistant. His earlier career includes Aguera Avocats, CMS Francis Lefebvre Lyon, Bignon Lebray and ACO.
Julissa Reynoso, former U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra and to Uruguay, is described as Hogan Lovells Cadwalader's new partner. She brings government experience to investigations and disputes.
Andersen has hired Pedro de la Iglesia as partner in its Madrid Tax department and Ana María Castaño as director. The hires aim to strengthen advice to banks, insurers and other financial operators on financial-sector taxation and operational taxes. De la Iglesia has about 30 years' experience.
SourceConfilegal
Finance specialist Dr. Jasmin Dettmar (47) joined Jones Day's Frankfurt office as partner in November. She comes from Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
SourcesJUVELTO — Kanzleien & UnternehmenLaw.com — International Edition
Law.com International reports Latham & Watkins has hired 5 Weil trainees.
SourcesLaw.com — International EditionLaw.com network — Legal News (FeedBlitz)Legal Business
DLA Piper has welcomed Tom Barton to its Employment and Pensions practice as a partner in its Leeds office. He joins after 20 years with Pinsent Masons, 12 as a partner, where he led the Leeds-based pensions team and the firm's defined contribution pensions workstream.
SourceLegal Desire
Clifford Chance has hired Kasia Bojarojć as counsel in its global antitrust practice in London. She joins from the Competition and Markets Authority, where she was a Director of Mergers. The firm says its antitrust practice has added 10 lateral partners since 2021.
ILIA ETL GLOBAL has added Natalia Gómez de Enterría to its Mallorca office to strengthen its labour law area. She has over thirty years of experience. Her earlier roles include RSM, Fieldfisher, Dentons, Sagardoy Abogados, MA Abogados and SGAE.
SourceLawyerpress
F&J Martín Abogados announced it has added José Antonio Morillo Velarde del Peso as counsel. He will head the firm's new Port Law area, created for logistics, maritime-port and international transport clients. He was previously head of legal advisory at Puertos del Estado and is a career State Attorney.
SourcesEconomist & JuristConfilegal
Freshfields, A&O Shearman and Wilkie are among the firms shedding partners as the lateral hiring market in London stays hot.
Colbert launches a real estate law department with the arrival of Thomas Beal as partner. He joined the Paris bar in 2009 and became a partner at LIGL Avocats, where he spent more than fifteen years. The department covers planning, expropriation, property development, public procurement, public law and real estate litigation.
Ilia ETL Global has taken on Natalia Gómez de Enterría.
SourceExpansión — Jurídico
Carpmaels & Ransford hired patent attorney Jonathan Stafford from Marks & Clerk as a partner in its chemistry practice. He had been a Marks & Clerk partner since 2017 and began his career at Carpmaels in 2007. He is the firm's fourth partner hire in 2026.
SourceJUVE Patent
Macfarlanes has hired fund formation partner Edward Prestwich from Kirkland & Ellis. He returns to the firm after leaving in 2021. He advises sponsors on structuring, formation and operation of credit funds, with experience in private equity and infrastructure funds, co-investment and carried interest.
SourceLegal Business
Since the beginning of November, Dennis Ball (43) has reinforced Seitz's employment law team in Frankfurt. He was previously Deputy General Counsel at BioNTech and joined as a salary partner.
SourceJUVE
Dr. Alexander Reich-Rohrwig (41) moved as a partner to the corporate practice of DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach in Vienna as of November. He comes from Cerha Hempel, where he was most recently a salary partner.
SourceJUVE
Finance expert Dr. Jasna Zwitter-Tehovnik (51) has been a partner at Kinstellar in Vienna since November. She comes from the Vienna office of DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach, where she had been a partner since 2007.
SourceJUVE
McDermott Will & Schulte has hired Cameron Mitcham as a lateral partner in its London finance practice. He joins after two years at Fried Frank and has particular experience in collateralised loan obligations (CLOs). The firm is continuing to build its London office.
SourceLegal Business
Dentons announced that Partner Alina Lacatus joined its Bucharest office on November 1, 2026. She will lead the Life Sciences and Health Care sector group and co-lead the Competition group in Romania. She has been a member of the Bucharest Bar since 2005.
SourceLegal Desire
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP announced on July 3, 2025 that partner Phil Baynes will rejoin its Private Funds Group in London from A&O Shearman LLP, where he was a partner. He previously practiced in Weil's London Private Funds Group. Weil says it hopes to make further senior London hires in the near term.
Ashurst Perkins Coie named María Antonia de Prada counsel in the real estate department of its Madrid office. She was previously a senior associate, joined the firm in November 2021 and has over fifteen years of experience. She specialises in urban planning and land-use law.
Latham & Watkins LLP announced 70 associates have been promoted to counsel, effective January 1, 2027. The group is described as global, with listed promotees in Asia and Europe, including Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris, Frankfurt and London. Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner, and Michelle Carpenter, Chair of the Associates Committee, are quoted.
SourcesPR Newswire — Personnel AnnouncementsLTO — Kanzleien & Unternehmen
BCLP has made up 15 new partners, its smallest promotions round since the 2018 merger of Bryan Cave and Berwin Leighton Paisner. The US has 12, down from 13 last year, including three each in St Louis and Denver. Two were made up in London.
SourceLegal Business
McDermott Will & Schulte announced 40 promotions effective 1 January 2027: 36 new partners and four counsel. Four of the promotions are in the German offices (Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Köln, München), two partners and two counsel. Last year's German offices had five in the year-end round.
Proskauer announced the promotion of Pierre Tardivo to partner in its private credit team. He joined the firm in September 2023 with the team led by Maud Manon. The promotion is part of Proskauer's global promotions of 21 partners and 11 senior counsel.
Proskauer promoted five London lawyers to its partnership as part of a 21-strong firmwide promotions round. London had the second-highest number of new partners after New York. Both figures are in line with last year, when Proskauer made up five partners in London and 22 globally.
SourceLegal Business
Willkie Farr & Gallagher named Anthony Civico partner in its Paris office, effective 1 January 2027. He advises asset managers on fund structuring and regulatory requirements in the Asset Management team. He joined the firm in 2019.
Ashurst Perkins Coie announced the promotion of four counsels in Paris, effective 1 November 2026: Francesco Assi (financial regulation), Antoine Boullet (tech transactions), Jordan Cohen (employment law) and Guillaume Vatin (competition law).
Weil Gotshal's proposed wind-down could leave its London partnership with continuing obligations to clients, employees and creditors after departing lawyers have joined rival firms, according to legal and regulatory specialists.
SourcesLaw GazetteBluesky — Big Law searchBluesky — Big Law search
Sophy King was appointed president of international immigration at Manifest OS, with a brief to expand to more than 100 jurisdictions and open 40 offices over the next year. There will be an office in London. Manifest OS operates through Manifest Law, an Arizona-licensed ABS.
SourceLegal Futures
Bird & Bird will move its Lisbon office to a new location, expand its team and add new practice areas after its first year in Portugal. The firm says the office grew faster than its business plan forecast. The new premises, timeline, hiring numbers and new practice areas were not specified.
SourcesConfilegalLawyerpress
Peterborough-headquartered Buckles Law has acquired Miller Rosenfalck, a London international boutique focused on cross-border work, particularly the German and Scandinavian markets. Six lawyers join Buckles as partners, covering employment, dispute resolution, corporate commercial and immigration. Buckles says the deal expands its London office.
SourceLaw Society Gazette
A Legal Cheek Podcast episode discusses what it calls the surprise implosion of Weil. It covers what happened, the triggers, uncertainty for the firm's employees, trainees and junior lawyers, and how the industry might help.
SourceLegal Cheek
Latham & Watkins confirmed it has taken on five current trainees from Weil's London office. Weil's management committee recommended an "orderly wind-down" last week. Latham was named among 11 US and City firms supporting Weil's future trainees.
Legal IT Insider published a hub for people affected by the planned closure of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. It lists offers of career conversations, recruitment help, free training and legal AI courses from recruiters and legal tech companies, including UK and US recruiting. The City of London Law Society says it is ready to assist affected trainees and junior lawyers.
SourceLegal IT Insider
It says law firms are rethinking their retention strategies to avoid talent departures.
SourceExpansión — Jurídico
Weil Gotshal, described as nearly century-old, is preparing to wind down, sending nearly 600 associates into the job market. Executive Partner Barry Wolf announced the news. Associates and staff are told they will receive salary and benefits for 90 days, with bonuses for those who stay until near year-end.
SourcesAbove the LawBluesky — Big Law searchExpansión — JurídicoAbove the LawLawFuel
Knights completed its £27 million acquisition of Moore Barlow, adding offices in Guildford, Lymington, Richmond (London) and Southampton. It declined to say how many people lost their jobs. Around 160 fee-earners are believed to be retained.
SourcesLaw Society GazetteLaw Society GazetteLegal IT Insider
Weil's management committee recommended an orderly wind-down, with a partner vote expected in coming days. Ramona Nee, chosen to lead Weil from 2027, is reportedly in advanced talks with Kirkland & Ellis, per Bloomberg Law. Gibson Dunn reportedly may take almost 40 London private funds lawyers.
SourcesLegal CheekDécideurs Juridiques — NominationsAbove the LawAbove the Law
Winston Taylor and DLA Piper are two more BigLaw firms that have opted to match the new associate salary scale set by Milbank LLP in June.
SourcesLaw360 — Legal IndustryBluesky — Big Law searchBluesky — Big Law searchAbove the LawBluesky — Big Law searchAbove the LawLegal Business
TGS France Avocats announced Gauthier Verdon as its new director. He is a partner and head of the Challans and Paris offices, and succeeds Laurence Vernay. He joined the firm in September 2019 after ten years at large Paris law firms.
Carlos Pita Cao, Managing Partner of AKD, says the firm presented a sharpened strategy earlier this year. AKD is focusing on six sectors: Energy, Technology, Healthcare & Life Sciences, International Trade, Public Sector and Real Estate. It is also grouping expertise into three practice divisions: Transactions, Disputes and Regulatory.
SourceAdvocatie
Accounts filed at Companies House for Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP show a 2025 pre-tax surplus of £135m, up from £110m, and income up 11% to £287m. Profit for 61 members rose 25% to £128m. Weil announced in New York last week it was preparing to wind down.
SourceLaw Society Gazette
Canada has nine top-tier firms. More Canadian firms are ranked in the Global 200 than firms from Germany, Spain and France combined. Canadian Big Law is eyeing foreign markets as U.S. ties grow more complicated.
Fieldfisher is deploying Legora across the firm, to around 1,400 lawyers and staff, after a six-week pilot with 137 users in its UK and wider European offices. The rollout will be led by the AI hub at Fieldfisher X in Berlin. Fieldfisher joins Legora's 2,300 customers.
SourceLegal IT Insider
Clifford Chance advised Pernod Ricard on a buyback offer covering seven series of outstanding bonds and an inaugural hybrid bond issue of €1.5bn, made of two €750m tranches admitted to trading on Euronext Paris. Pernod Ricard accepted to repurchase bonds with a total nominal amount of €1,219.4m.
McDermott Will & Schulte advised the Trèves family and Bpifrance on the sale of the Trèves group to Autoneum. Initial consideration is newly issued Autoneum shares plus a cash payment. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, with completion expected early in Q1 2027.
Expansión's title says A&O Shearman will invest $1.1 billion in AI.
SourcesExpansión — JurídicoLaw.com — International EditionBluesky — Big Law search
Aderhold advised the Mendritzki group on restructuring and reorganising its financing. This was carried out as part of the merger with Risse+Wilke, which created the new Mendritzki+Wilke group.
SourceJUVE
Slaughter and May is advising Anthropic on its UK retail offer ahead of an IPO that could value the company at more than $1trn. UK investment platform RetailBook is facilitating the offer as an operator of the Public Offer Platform, which came into force this January.
SourceLegal Business
Mayer Brown advised the selling shareholders of Fitness Park, including Future French Champions, Philippe Herbette, Momentum Invest and M Capital Partners, on an agreement with Providence Equity Partners to acquire the group. The deal is subject to the usual regulatory approvals.
Lopezmarqués has begun using Harvey, a legal AI tool, in three practice areas: Litigation and Arbitration, Commercial and Corporate Law, and White-Collar and Economic Criminal Law. Managing partner Juan José López Marqués says AI does not replace a lawyer's judgment. Harvey says it has more than 3,500 clients in over 85 countries.
SourceConfilegal
Hengeler Mueller client Google has been handed a potential win on AI training in a key EU court case. The Advocate General is keeping the door open to copyright claims against Gemini's answers.
White & Case advised the Banque de Développement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BDEAC) on its inaugural US$222 million bond maturing 20 October 2029, in 4(a)(2)/Reg S format, with a simultaneous EUR-USD currency hedge. The bonds were admitted to trading on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange regulated market. Paris and London teams are named.
Thyssenkrupp has positioned its materials trading business TK Accelis on the capital market. Thyssenkrupp remains majority shareholder with 51 percent. The remaining shares went to existing shareholders as part of a spin-off.
SourceJUVE
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader advised UniCredit S.p.A. on the cross-border merger by absorption of UniCredit SA/NV, formerly Aion Bank SA/NV, into UniCredit S.p.A. It gave corporate and regulatory advice across Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain. The team was led by Milan partner Piero de Mattia.
SourceLegal Desire
PwC Tax & Legal and IE Law School are launching the NewLaw chair. It will be led by Patricia Manca, of counsel at PwC Tax & Legal, in coordination with Francisco González, the partner responsible for NewLaw at the firm.
SourceExpansión — Jurídico
White & Case LLP advised Providence Equity Partners on acquiring the Fitness Park group from founder Philippe Herbette, Future French Champions, Momentum Invest, M Capital Partners and management. The Paris team was led by partner Alexis Hojabr, with London and Brussels offices also involved. A&O Shearman advised on financing; Mayer Brown advised the sellers.
Bredin Prat advised Wakam, a white-label specialty insurance group, on its acquisition by AmTrust International, a subsidiary of AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. The Bredin Prat team spanned corporate, regulatory, public law, employment, restructuring, competition, digital/IP, tax and criminal law. Norton Rose Fulbright advised AmTrust; A&O Shearman advised Opera Finance.
Chammas & Marcheteau advised EcoTree's founders and selling shareholders on Crédit Agricole's acquisition of EcoTree. EcoTree was founded in 2014 in Brest and manages nearly 2,000 hectares of forest in France and Denmark. The firm's team: partners Jérôme Chapron and Christophe Moreau, and lawyers Agathe Delforge and Franck Hallel.
The High Court dismissed a professional negligence claim brought by Corporation Leasing & Finance Ltd against Irwin Mitchell. Mr Justice Mansfield, in a 69-page ruling, found the firm gave proper advice on settling an earlier claim and was entitled to rely on counsel. He held the settlement was reasonable and CLF suffered no loss.
SourceLegal Futures
Jeantet advised FrenchFood Capital, Unexo and the shareholders of Bharal Développement on the sale of the group to Naxicap Partners, which becomes majority shareholder. A&O Shearman advised Naxicap Partners and Racine advised the managers. The transaction was finalised on 20 October 2026.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advised Mérieux NutriSciences on financing its acquisition of Laboratories Midco LLC (Certified Group). The deal closed on 20 October 2026. Peugeot Invest and Continental Grain Company joined as minority shareholders.
Confirmed items are announced by the firm or reported as fact by the cited outlets. Unconfirmed items are reports the firms have not confirmed. Every item links to its sources; we add nothing the sources do not say.
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