Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is preparing to bring around 120 lawyers from Weil, Gotshal & Manges into its ranks, marking one of the biggest group departures from the New York-based firm as it moves closer to shutting down.
The proposed move, confirmed by a person familiar with the recruitment, would include more than 20 Weil partners and a substantial contingent of lawyers from the firm’s US and London offices. Among those expected to join Gibson Dunn is Andrew Chizzik, Weil’s New York-based private funds practice head.
The recruitment also encompasses nearly 40 London-based private funds lawyers, a group that had already been preparing to move to Gibson Dunn. Partners James Bromley and James Sargent are among those expected to make the transition.
The addition would significantly expand Gibson Dunn’s investment funds practice, which already has 171 lawyers worldwide. The firm, founded in Los Angeles, is positioning itself to absorb a sizeable portion of Weil’s talent as uncertainty over the latter’s future intensifies.
Neither Chizzik nor Gibson Dunn chair and managing partner Barbara Becker immediately responded to requests for comment.
Weil’s dissolution plan triggers a scramble
The recruitment comes after Weil’s leadership recommended last week that the 95-year-old firm wind down its operations. Partners are expected to vote on the proposal in the coming days.
The recommendation follows months of mounting partner departures, unsuccessful merger discussions and growing pressure on the firm’s business. If approved, the dissolution would rank among the largest law firm shutdowns in the industry’s history.
With the firm’s future hanging in the balance, hundreds of its lawyers are now seeking positions elsewhere. The exodus involves prominent partners as well as approximately 700 associates, creating an intense recruitment battle among rival firms.
Gibson Dunn is not the only firm looking to capitalize on the upheaval.
Goodwin Procter announced on Tuesday that Tom Henry, former co-head of Weil’s real estate practice, would join its New York office and take on a leadership role in its real estate group.
Quinn Emanuel has also secured a Weil partner, Adam Fee, who represented former US Senator Bob Menendez in his bribery trial.
As Weil’s dissolution plan moves toward a partner vote, the competition to secure its lawyers is accelerating, with major firms seeking to strengthen their practices through one of the legal industry’s most significant talent reshuffles.
