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Weil Gotshal Weighs Wind-Down as Lawyers Seek Jobs

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Weil Gotshal & Manges is discussing a possible wind-down of the firm.
Capital markets head Alex Lynch told associates to seek other employment.
Bankruptcy specialist Brian Resnick was hired to advise on the restructuring.
Weil generated $2.1 billion in revenue last year, underscoring its size.
Recruiters report a flood of Weil résumés while Simpson Thacher and Paul Weiss target its lawyers.

Summary

Weil Gotshal & Manges served as lead debtors’ counsel in the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy.
The firm also acted as lead counsel for Enron’s bankruptcy proceedings.
Michael Aiello represented Fox Corp. in its $22 billion acquisition of Roku Inc.
Weil shifted from a partnership-centric culture to a profit-driven business model, mirroring broader Big Law trends.
Big Law firms have increasingly poached talent, challenging Weil’s traditional partnership model.

History

The 2002 conviction of Arthur Andersen for shredding Enron documents forced the firm to surrender its CPA license on Aug 31, 2002, wiping out 85,000 jobs and prompting the Sarbanes-Oxley Act’s tighter oversight. That collapse showed how aggressive profit models can destroy elite firms, a warning echoed as Weil Gotshal & Manges confront a possible wind-down today.

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The 2002 conviction of Arthur Andersen for shredding Enron documents forced the firm to surrender its CPA license on Aug 31, 2002, wiping out 85,000 jobs and prompting the Sarbanes-Oxley Act’s tighter oversight. That collapse showed how aggressive profit models can destroy elite firms, a warning echoed as Weil Gotshal & Manges confront a possible wind-down today.

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