Key facts
- Weil Gotshal & Manges is in merger discussions.
- Leadership informed partners of the talks.
- Negotiations are for a memorandum of understanding.
- Several partner departures have occurred this year.
- Key partners have left for rival firms.
Weil Gotshal & Manges is engaged in merger discussions with an unnamed firm, according to leadership who informed top partners. The firm is negotiating a memorandum of understanding detailing the potential tie-up. A broader announcement could be made as early as this week, though talks could still fall apart. The merger discussions come amid a string of partner departures this year in both the US and London, which have weakened the firm's corporate department and fueled speculation. Key partners, including former corporate department co-managing partner Michael Hickey, are expected to join rival firms like Sullivan & Cromwell and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Other departures have also been noted for firms like Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Cravath, Swaine & Moore.