- U.S. & Americas
- Lateral moves
Nearly 60 partners have left Weil, Gotshal & Manges or said they plan to leave since the start of the year. More than half have left since August, and many held office or practice leadership roles. Legal Business reported this on 28 October after mapping the firm's remaining partnership by office and practice.
The departures are coming from a firm with substantial finances. Weil generated $2.077bn in revenue and profits per equity partner of $5.593m in the prior year, The American Lawyer reported.
Doug Warner, Michael Aiello and Ramona Nee among the leaders departing
Doug Warner, Weil's New York-based global co-head of private equity and a partner since 1986, left for Paul, Weiss. He was at least the 14th Weil leader to depart since the start of 2026, The American Lawyer reported. In September, corporate department co-chair Michael Aiello moved to Cravath with five partners, The American Lawyer reported.
Ramona Nee was due to succeed executive partner Barry Wolf in January 2027, but she declined the role and held discussions about joining Simpson Thacher, Bloomberg Law reported. Wolf has led Weil since shortly after the global financial crisis. At least seven members of the firm's management committee have left or plan to leave since late 2024, Bloomberg Law reported.
Private equity, private funds and London loan finance sit at the centre of the moves
Private equity and private funds are the main targets. Simpson Thacher has hired at least six Weil partners across London and New York, including private funds partners Stephanie Srulowitz and Brian Parness, secondaries specialist Simon Saitowitz and London energy and infrastructure M&A partner Murray Cox, Non-Billable reported.
London loan finance has lost several partners. Finance head Tom Richards and three more UK partners are in advanced talks to join Simpson Thacher, Law.com International reported. London private equity partner Max Oppenheimer is also close to joining Paul, Weiss, Legal Business reported. Public-company M&A, a Weil strength under Aiello, lost capability when his team moved to Cravath, Bloomberg Law reported. Restructuring and litigation remain strong, led by restructuring head Matt Barr and corporate co-chair Kyle Krpata, Bloomberg Law reported.
Simpson Thacher, Cravath, Paul Weiss, Davis Polk and Sullivan & Cromwell absorb the partners
The partners are moving to a short list of firms that are recruiting directly rather than waiting for a merger. Litigation partners Drew Tulumello and Chantale Fiebig moved to Davis Polk, and finance partner Lyuba Goltser moved to Sidley. London co-managing partner David Avery-Gee and partner Sarah Flaherty went to Sullivan & Cromwell, Above the Law reported. Securities litigation head Caroline Hickey Zalka left for Paul, Weiss, The American Lawyer reported. Litigation partners Jonathan Polkes and Elizabeth Weiswasser departed in March, among the earliest exits, The American Lawyer reported.
Top 50 firms hired 1,086 partners through August 2026, up from 901 a year earlier, Bloomberg Law reported.
Merger talks with Willkie collapse as Weil weighs a possible wind-down
Weil's merger talks with Willkie Farr & Gallagher collapsed around 22 October. At a partner meeting that day, leadership told partners to carry on, The American Lawyer reported. The firm hired Davis Polk bankruptcy partner Brian Resnick as restructuring counsel and is considering options that include a possible wind-down. A spokesperson said no decision has been made to dissolve the firm, Above the Law reported.
The firms recruiting Weil's partners, Simpson Thacher, Paul, Weiss and Davis Polk, are the same peers whose financial trajectory moved ahead of Weil's during Wolf's later tenure, Bloomberg Law reported. More than 30 partners globally have left or are set to leave since July, including about 19 industry-ranked lawyers and 10 senior leaders, Law.com International reported. A substantial part of the Boston partnership is expected to follow Nee if she leaves, Semafor reported.
The record shows a concentrated group of firms taking Weil's private equity, private funds, loan finance and M&A partners office by office in New York, London and Boston. This has happened as the firm's leadership succession and merger plans have fallen apart. A practice head has urged junior lawyers to find jobs elsewhere, Bloomberg Law reported. The firm that posted $2.1bn in revenue a year earlier is now discussing a wind-down.
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