- U.S. & Americas
- Big Law Weekly
Week covered: 19–25 October 2026 · Back to the week page
Weil Gotshal & Manges was the week's main story in the US market, confirming to its partnership that it is in merger talks roughly a month after denying any such talks, as a run of senior partners left for rivals. Alongside that, firms opened offices in Houston, Mexico City and San Diego, announced partner classes for 1 January 2027, and moved again on associate pay and clerkship bonuses.
Weil pursues a merger as partners leave for Cravath, S&C and Paul Weiss
Weil is in merger discussions with an unnamed firm, its leadership told partners this week, Bloomberg Law and The American Lawyer reported. Bloomberg Law reported that leaders described negotiating a memorandum of understanding and that the talks could still collapse. The firm had denied being in merger discussions in September.
Weil held a virtual all-partner meeting on 20 October, Legal Business reported, against a run of departures. Corporate chair Michael Aiello left for Cravath, Swaine & Moore with five M&A partners, per Bloomberg Law. Michael Hickey, a co-managing partner of the corporate department and co-head of capital markets, is moving to Sullivan & Cromwell, The American Lawyer reported, and management committee member Zalka plans to join Paul Weiss, The American Lawyer reported separately. Read more. Read more. Read more.
Weil's merger talks with Willkie Farr & Gallagher ended this week, and both Simpson Thacher and Paul Weiss are trying to recruit Weil partners, The American Lawyer reported. Read more.
Houston, Mexico City and San Diego offices for Ashurst Perkins Coie, Snell & Wilmer and Haynes Boone
Ashurst Perkins Coie, the global firm formed by that combination, opened in Houston with two partners from Bracewell, Legal Business reported. Thomas Tomlinson joins the project, energy, environment and resources group, and Tamara McKinzie joins as a real estate partner focused on energy and infrastructure. It is the firm's first major move since the merger.
Snell & Wilmer, an Am Law 200 firm, launched in Mexico City with four partners and three associates from Pérez-Llorca, led by managing partner José Rivero, The American Lawyer reported. The firm said the office targets the market of its largest trade partner.
Haynes Boone opened in San Diego, with chair and firmwide managing partner Taylor Wilson telling The Texas Lawbook, "We're particularly bullish on California."
White & Case promotes 47 and Latham 36 for 1 January 2027
White & Case promoted 47 lawyers to its partnership effective 1 January 2027, across 13 practices in 21 offices in 13 countries, Pulse 2.0 reported. US-based lawyers made up 40 percent of the class, the firm's largest US intake since 2022.
Latham & Watkins elected 36 associates to partnership, also effective 1 January 2027, Legal Business reported. With 22 counsel elected earlier in the year, Latham's 2026 total reached 58, with New York the largest focus and no promotions outside the US and EU for a second year running.
Milbank sets first-year pay at $235,000 as Robins Kaplan lifts clerkship bonuses to $175,000
Milbank raised associate base pay by $10,000 to $20,000 effective 1 July 2026, setting first-years at $235,000 and eighth-years at $455,000, Legal Desire reported. McDermott Will & Schulte, Quinn Emanuel, Katten and Seward & Kissel were reported to have matched. Cravath's careers page still listed $225,000 to $420,000.
Robins Kaplan increased judicial clerkship bonuses to $150,000 for lawyers completing one qualifying clerkship and $175,000 for two or more, LawFuel reported, with chair and managing partner Anthony Froio commenting. Read more.
Paul Hastings, Blank Rome and Troutman Pepper Locke add litigation and commodities partners
Paul Hastings added complex litigation partners Craig Cardon, Abby Meyer and Jay Ramsey in California from Sheppard Mullin, The Recorder reported. Global managing partner Sherrese Smith said the team strengthens the firm's consumer class action and mass arbitration work.
A four-lawyer commodities and finance team moved from Hogan Lovells Cadwalader to Blank Rome in New York, The American Lawyer reported; the group represents commodity merchants, traders and the institutions that finance them. Troutman Pepper Locke added insurance and reinsurance litigation partners Jason Gosselin, Kate Villanueva and Christopher Petillo in Philadelphia, The Legal Intelligencer reported. Sullivan & Cromwell said it hired Kirkland & Ellis tax partner Vivek Ratnam in New York to advise private equity sponsors on complex transactions, part of a private equity expansion it announced in September.
Weil anchored the week, with confirmed merger talks running alongside senior departures to Cravath, Sullivan & Cromwell and Paul Weiss and recruiting interest from Simpson Thacher and Paul Weiss after the Willkie discussions ended. Around it, firms added offices in Houston, Mexico City and San Diego, set partner classes of 47 at White & Case and 36 at Latham for 1 January 2027, and moved on associate pay and clerkship bonuses at Milbank and Robins Kaplan.
The full list of the week's moves is on the United States week page.
