Amanda O'Brien
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Articles by Amanda O'Brien
Weil Planning to Merge
NewsLaw Firm Mergers Sources indicated that any Weil merger would include a firm with a large national or international presence with Texas offices and an interest in building out in New York. 3 minute read October 19, 2026 at 07:05 PM Weil Gotshal. Courtesy photo What You Need to Know Weil Gotshal & Manges is planning on merging, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
As Lateral Hiring Continues Into Q4, More Law Firms Are Willing to Shell Out to Make Candidates Whole
Credit: ink drop/Adobe Stock"/>Credit: ink drop/Adobe Stock Lateral hiring historically has slowed in the fourth quarter by design. Law firms push payouts into the following calendar year, including bonuses, as a retention tool, and no one enjoys leaving money on the table even if enticed by a better opportunity elsewhere. However, lateral moves don't appear to be subsiding anytime soon in 2026.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Will Combine Buy and Build in New AI Strategy
Miguel Zaldivar, CEO of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader. Courtesy photo Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, three months post-merger, is rolling out its official artificial intelligence strategy, with CEO Miguel Zaldivar anticipating the technology will overhaul the firm's pricing strategy within the next three years.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Continues NY Growth With Fund Finance Hire From Banking Giant
Christopher Thalhammer, partner with Hogan Lovells Cadwalader in New York. Courtesy photo Hogan Lovells Cadwalader has hired banking and loan finance partner Christopher Thalhammer from global financial services company Macquarie, expanding the firm’s fund finance capabilities as it looks to build out its New York office. Prior to joining Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, Thalhammer spent just shy of 16 years at Macquarie, where he recently served as legal managing director for fund finance.
Simpson Thacher's PE Power Play: Partner Hires Signal War for Talent
Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/LAW.COM For the world’s largest law firms, the private equity sector remains a key revenue base. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, which has served PE clients for decades, has spent 2026 aggressively investing in that crucial base, adding depth in particularly in-demand specialties.
Baker McKenzie Hires White & Case Chief of Staff as New COO
Baker McKenzie global Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Parks. Courtesy photo Baker McKenzie announced Tuesday that it has added former White & Case chief of staff Jennifer Parks to serve as its global chief operating officer. Parks, based in New York, joined the global firm in September after spending 18 years with White & Case, starting when the firm brought her on to carry out a firmwide restructuring in 2008.
More Than a Dozen Big Law Firms Worked on Paramount-Warner Bros. Combination
Credit: Paulo M Godoy/Adobe Stock Paramount Skydance on Tuesday officially completed its acquisition of Warner Bros., closing the $110 billion deal at the start of the fourth quarter to create one of the largest media companies in the country.
More Than a Dozen Big Law Firms Worked on Paramount-Warner Bros. Combination
NewsDeals and Transactions Law firms including Cravath, Latham & Watkins, Winston Taylor and Wilkinson Stekloff employed their best and brightest on Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., which closed Tuesday. 5 minute read October 06, 2026 at 03:07 PM Credit: Paulo M Godoy/Adobe Stock What You Need to Know Paramount Skydance closed its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros.
White & Case Hires Leveraged Finance Trio From Cahill
The lobby at White & Case offices in Miami. Photo: Alexander Lugo/Law.com Cahill Gordon & Reindel leveraged finance partners Ted Lacey, Anthony Wolfe and Tristan Manley are moving to White & Case, according to multiple sources familiar with the move. The move comes weeks after Cahill lost another group of leveraged finance partners, including Brian Kelleher, Stephen Harper and Christopher Bevan, to Proskauer Rose. Earlier this summer, Cahill also lost its co-head of private credit to Paul Hastings.
Law Firms Are More Eager Than Ever for Mergers, Yet Sealing the Deal Hasn't Gotten Easier
Credit: BsWei/Shutterstock.com Merger mania is alive and well in 2026, as firms of all sizes—from Am Law 50 firms with enviable balance sheets to boutiques and midsize shops—continue to express high interest in combinations seeking scale, capital, and practice depth. Indeed, as the third quarter of 2026 concludes, rumors of merger talks are picking up steam.
'Bold Ambitions': Incoming Morgan Lewis Chair Plots Out Firm Strategy
Morgan Lewis's new chair, David McManus, and his global leadership team. From left to right: Steven Reed, managing partner of global performance, COO Tony Licata, chair David McManus, managing partner of global strategy Christina Melendi, and Bart Bassett, managing partner of global talent.
Weil London Finance Head and 3 More Partners in Talks to Join Simpson Thacher
Tom Richards. Courtesy photo Weil Gotshal & Manges London finance practice head Tom Richards and three more U.K. partners are in advanced talks to join Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, according to several sources with knowledge of the move. Sources indicated that Richards is in talks to join Simpson with a group other Weil finance partners: Alex Eagle, Patrick Brendon and Gilles Teerlinck.
Market Consolidation Continues for Midsize Firms Despite Shrinking Merger Candidate Pool
Lawfirm-Merger Midsize law firms remain prime targets for mergers in a legal market concerned with expanding capital resources and leveraging advantages of scale. Since Jan. 1, 2026, Law.com has covered at least 24 merger announcements or closings involving at least one midsize firm across the country. The through-lines of these transactions? New offices, more resources and increased practice depth.
Market Consolidation Continues for Midsize Firms Despite Shrinking Merger Candidate Pool
Law.com CompassLaw.com RadarVerdict SearchScholar .China Law & PracticeLegal Dictionary Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Related information Companies/Organizations Law Firms/Representation Topics NewsLaw Firm Mergers The common themes behind the growing number of mergers? The desire for scale and additional resources to stay competitive in a challenging legal market.
Cravath's Rainmaker Hire: Can Aiello Transform a Firm That Guards Its Culture?
Credit: David Johnson/Cravath Cravath, Swaine & Moore’s move to add six partners from Weil Gotshal & Manges, including rainmaker Mike Aiello, raised eyebrows, considering Cravath has maintained a more conservative approach to lateral hiring compared with its Am Law 50 peers. But people close to the firm said Cravath has been seeking both individual and group hires for years, waiting for the right opportunity.
Cravath PE Head Returns to Weil to Co-Lead Practice
Courtesy Photo. Peter Feist, head of Cravath Swaine & Moore’s private equity practice, is planning to rejoin Weil Gotshal & Manges as U.S. co-head of private equity, the firm confirmed late Friday, as Weil seeks to build back its PE group. Feist left Weil in early 2023 for Cravath, which is more focused on traditional M&A matters than PE dealwork.
Cravath PE Head Returns to Weil to Co-Lead Practice
Law.com CompassLaw.com RadarVerdict SearchScholar .China Law & PracticeLegal Dictionary Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Related information Topics NewsLaw Firm Hiring His return to Weil comes amid the firm’s campaign for “boomerang” laterals—those who started at Weil, left for another firm but returned to Weil.
Weil Picks Up Willkie Restructuring Leader
Debra Sinclair. Courtesy photo As the firm leans into so-called boomerang hires, Weil Gotshal & Manges has brought on Debra Sinclair, who was U.S. co-chair of Willkie Farr & Gallagher’s strategic capital and restructuring department, as a partner. The move will go into effect “in the coming weeks,” according to the firm’s press release on Thursday. Sinclair started at Weil as an associate in 2013 before joining Willkie in 2016 and ascending to leadership in 2024 as co-chair of restructuring.
Duane Morris Resolves Proposed Class Action Over Classification of Nonequity Partners
Duane Morris' New York office at 22 Vanderbilt. Photo: Patrick Smith/Law.com Duane Morris and a former nonequity partner have resolved a two-year-old putative class action in California federal court over the firm’s tax classification of nonequity partners.
Duane Morris Resolves Proposed Class Action Over Classification of Nonequity Partners
NewsLaw Firm Disputes Former nonequity partner Meagan Garland, who is Black, claimed the firm discriminated against her in compensation decisions and illegally classified nonequity partners as partners in tax filings to shift expenses and keep business costs low. 3 minute read September 24, 2026 at 04:21 PM Duane Morris' New York office at 22 Vanderbilt.
Former Orrick Partner Sues Fox Rothschild Over Divorce Representation
Philly office of Fox Rothschild. Courtesy photo A former Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe partner sued Fox Rothschild in California state court over representation in his divorce proceedings, claiming that the firm failed to replace his counsel in the proceedings after his then-counsel took leave to take care of an ill family member and later failed to appear in court on his behalf.
Law Firms and Clients Battle Over Who Reaps AI Savings
Credit: WrightStudiov/stock.adobe.com General counsel are increasingly pressing their law firms to cut legal fees to reflect AI use. But whether corporate clients can actually save money on law firm bills, at least in the short term, is still an open question. Law firms are spending thousands—and in several cases, millions—on generative AI expenses. That investment gives law firms more leverage to push back against clients seeking discounts, industry observers say.
Law Firms and Clients Battle Over Who Reaps AI Savings
AnalysisLaw Firm Client Relationships Big Law and corporate legal departments may ultimately agree on one avenue forward: billing by the outcome and value—not by the hour, corporate counsel sources and consultants say. 6 minute read September 22, 2026 at 06:00 AM Credit: WrightStudiov/stock.adobe.com What You Need to Know Corporate legal departments, including large banking clients, are increasingly asking their outside counsel to show how AI-driven efficiencies are reflected in their bills.
With Merger Rumors Swirling, Weil Says It's Staying the Course
Courtesy photo Merger considerations are moving to the forefront for Weil Gotshal & Manges, sources say, as the firm continues to be the center of a swirling rumors over whether it will merge and who the firm might be engaging with. In recent weeks, numerous law firm leaders, partners and others throughout Big Law have said they have heard unverified rumors of Weil engaging in merger talks with other elite firms.
Prioritizing Rapid Expansion, Weil Taps New Corporate Co-Heads
Michael E. Lubowitz (L) and Kyle C. Krpata (R) of Weil Gotshal & Manges. Courtesy photos Weil Gotshal & Manges longtime partner Michael Lubowitz, now co-chair of the firm’s 600-lawyer corporate department, said the firm is plotting out an aggressive growth strategy and having conversations “daily” with potential lateral candidates as the corporate department looks to expand in every practice.
What's Next for Weil After Top Rainmaker's Exit?
Courtesy photo While partners at Weil Gotshal & Manges are still stunned from last week’s announcement of rainmaker Mike Aiello’s exit, sources inside and close to the firm say they anticipate more internal alignment on the firm's future growth strategy. Some sources close to Weil anticipate the firm will be less limited in its lateral growth, no longer influenced by Aiello’s strategic vision of a boutique M&A shop, following his exit for Cravath Swaine & Moore.
K&L Gates Adds 3 Pillsbury Partners in California and Texas, Boosting Asia Ties
(l-r) Ziyan ‘Frank’ Xue, Julie Park, David Tsai, Jenny Liu, Theresa Lee, and Zandir Morton, with K&L Gates in California and Texas. Courtesy photo K&L Gates on Monday announced the hire of three partners and three counsel from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, including three cross-border practice leaders with ties to Asia.
Cravath Recruits 6 Weil Partners
Cravath’s New York offices at Two Manhattan West. Credit: David Johnson/Cravath Cravath Swaine & Moore on Friday confirmed that it is hiring Mike Aiello, co-chair of Weil Gotshal & Manges' corporate department, along with five others. The group includes Aiello, Matthew Gilroy, Eoghan Keenan, Amanda Fenster, Michelle Sargent and Megan Pendleton, and they will all join Cravath as partners, the firm said Friday.
In New Study, 41% of Attorneys Say Practicing Law is 'Detrimental' to Mental Health
Credit: baranq/stock.adobe.com A new study investigating mental health struggles in the legal industry has found that, out of a nearly 37,000 attorney survey pool, nearly half of those surveyed reported high or very high levels of burnout and more than 40% reported clinically hazardous drinking habits. The study collected data from attorneys across the country in a range of legal roles ranging from in-house positions to Big Law to solo practice.
In New Study, 41% of Attorneys Say Practicing Law is 'Detrimental' to Mental Health
NewsMental Health Nearly 37,000 attorneys participated in the survey conducted by mental health expert Patrick Krill, in conjunction with the ABA, and nearly half of them reported high or very high levels of burnout. 6 minute read September 09, 2026 at 04:58 PM Credit: baranq/stock.adobe.com What You Need to Know Mental health continues to be a pain point for the legal industry, according to a new study based on 37,000 respondents.
Proskauer Adds 4 Leveraged Finance Partners in NYC
L to R: Stephen Harper, Bill Miller, Brian Kelleher, and Christopher Bevan of Proskauer. Courtesy photo A group of four leveraged finance partners who previously practiced together at Cahill Gordon & Reindel joined Proskauer Rose in New York on Wednesday, as the firm continues to build out its finance practice in response to demand for both public and private financial transactions.
Former Fox Legal Head Jumps to Sullivan & Cromwell
Viet Dinh. Courtesy photo Viet Dinh, a former Kirkland & Ellis litigator and chief legal and policy officer of Fox Corp., is joining Sullivan & Cromwell as a partner based in Los Angeles, the firm announced Tuesday. During his tenure at Fox, Dinh helped the company navigate defamation litigation stemming from Fox News' 2020 presidential election coverage, including a suit filed by voting machine company Dominion that ultimately settled for $787 million in April 2023.
Former Fox Legal Head Jumps to Sullivan & Cromwell
NewsLaw Firm Hiring Viet Dinh, who as chief legal and policy officer helped Fox navigate defamation litigation in the wake of Fox News' 2020 presidential election coverage, is joining Sullivan & Cromwell's Los Angeles office as a partner. 3 minute read September 08, 2026 at 10:28 AM Viet Dinh. Courtesy photo Viet Dinh, a former Kirkland & Ellis litigator and chief legal and policy officer of Fox Corp., is joining Sullivan & Cromwell as a partner based in Los Angeles, the firm announced Tuesday.
Morgan Lewis Adds White & Case Life Sciences Co-Head in Boston
Andres Liivak, partner with Morgan Lewis & Bockius in Boston. Courtesy photo Adding depth in a highly competitive geographic market, Morgan Lewis & Bockius added White & Case global life sciences healthcare co-head Andres Liivak as a partner in Boston on Tuesday. Liivak joins Morgan Lewis after spending nearly eight years at White & Case, which he joined in 2019 after spending time at Reed Smith, Kaye Scholer (which later merged with Arnold & Porter in 2017), and Norton Rose Fulbright.
More Am Law 100 Law Firms Have Turned to 4-Day In-Office Mandates
Credit: Ramcreative/Adobe Stock The Am Law 100 continued to push lawyers to return to office last year, according to Law.com data, with a group of firms either increasing their in-office requirements or else instituting a new in-office policy requiring workers to go into the office a set number of days a week. But public reports of stricter attendance policies thus far in 2026 have been scarce.
ABA Law School Accreditation Under Attack by Trump Administration
Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/Law.com Deepening its dispute with the American Bar Association, the Trump administration is seeking to rescind the organization's ability to accredit law schools.
ABA Law School Accreditation Under Attack by Trump Administration
NewsLegal Education "After reviewing ABA’s accreditation standards, department staff found the accreditor out of compliance with the agency’s accreditation regulations and recognition standards," said an Education Department spokesperson. 3 minute read August 21, 2026 at 10:41 AM Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/Law.com Deepening its dispute with the American Bar Association, the Trump administration is seeking to rescind the organization's ability to accredit law schools.
More Am Law 100 Law Firms Have Turned to 4-Day In-Office Mandates
The Am Law 100 continued to push lawyers to return to office last year, according to Law.com data, with a group of firms either increasing their in-office requirements or else instituting a new in-office policy requiring workers to go into the office a set number of days a week. But public reports of stricter attendance policies thus far in 2026 have been scarce.
Troutman Pepper Locke Sued for Discrimination, Retaliation After Associate Reported Alleged Billing Fraud
Troutman Pepper Locke's Philadelphia office at Two Logan Square. Photo: Dan Packel/Law.com A Troutman Pepper Locke associate sued the firm for retaliation in New Jersey federal court on Tuesday, alleging his career and promised partner promotion was derailed by the firm after experiencing a heart attack and taking medical leave to recover, and later reporting concerns about fraudulent billing by his supervising partners.
Quinn Emanuel Expects to Reach $3B Revenue Goal, as Leaders Reshape Management Strategy
Bill Burck, left, and Michael Carlinsky, right, with Quinn Emanuel. Courtesy photos Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan is set to have a marquee financial year, with firm co-managing partners William Burck and Michael Carlinsky predicting the firm will surpass its goal to reach $3 billion in revenue and $10 million in profits per equity partner by the end of 2026. Yet underlying Quinn Emanuel's anticipated performance is a year of some uncertainty and disruption.
Quinn Emanuel Expects to Reach $3B Revenue Goal, as Leaders Reshape Management Strategy
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Barnes & Thornburg Recruits 12-Lawyer K&L Gates Healthcare Team
John H. Lawrence (L) and Kelsey U. Jernigan (R) of Barnes & Thornburg. Courtesy photos Continuing its aggressive lateral growth strategy, Barnes & Thornburg has added a seven-partner healthcare team from K&L Gates in Raleigh, North Carolina, including partners Kelsey Jernigan and John Lawrence. Overall, the lateral group to Barnes & Thornburg includes 12 lawyers, including 10 who are following Jernigan and Lawrence.
Despite Margin Squeeze, Midsize Firms Continue Office Expansions
Credit: Visual Generation/Adobe Stock Margin compression issues are plaguing the midsize law firm sector, with costs expanding faster than rate growth even as demand increases. But that hasn't stopped midsized firms from hiring attorneys and launching outside of their regional home bases. In just the first half of 2026, a number midsize firms have opened several new offices.
Amid ABA Battle With Trump, DOJ Says Executive Privilege Extends to Outside Advisers
U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C. Photo by Diego M. Radzinschi/Law.com In an apparent rebuff to attempts to subpoena President Trump's personal adviser, Boris Epshteyn, the Justice Department has extended the bounds of executive privilege, asserting in a new opinion that President Donald Trump’s communications with outside advisers would be shielded under executive privilege.
Meet the Attorneys Behind Law Firm Private Equity-MSO Deals
Photo: Chadchai via Adobe Stock The legal industry's interest in accepting private equity investment and spinning off back-end operations into managed service organizations (MSOs) is driving work to a select group of law firms advising clients on the M&A, ethics and regulatory work behind such deals.
Simpson Raids Kirkland to Launch in Chicago
Chicago skyline. Credit: Iuliia Sokolovska/Adobe Stock Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has once again raided Kirkland & Ellis, this time hiring private investment and family office practice head Ryan Harris and partners Cole Parker, Kyle McHugh, Ryan Jackson, and Ziyad Ziyadzade to launch the firm's new Chicago office. Simpson announced the news in a press release Thursday. As part of the move, Harris is now the managing partner of Simpson's Chicago office.
Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Hires Crowell & Moring's Denver Founding Partner
Meshach Y. Rhoades of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader. Courtesy photo Crowell & Moring’s founding Denver office partner Meshach Rhoades is joining Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, in one of the first lateral acquisitions since Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft joined forces in July. Rhoades, who handles class-action work and started with Hogan Lovells Cadwalader on Aug. 3, joined Crowell & Moring and launched its Denver office back in 2021 after leaving Armstrong Teasdale.
Pro Bono Asylum Wins are Harder to Come by Amid Regulatory Whiplash, Uncertain Timelines and Strained Bandwidth
Credit: Moab Republic/Adobe Stock Big Law pro bono departments don't have a complicated relationship with asylum work; rather, it's the nature of asylum work that has changed, according to pro bono leaders, leaving attorneys with fewer victories to publicize and even less bandwidth to take on newer cases. It's certainly been a tough year for immigration legal work, as the Trump administration conducted a major overhaul of the nation's immigration system.
Pro Bono Asylum Wins are Harder to Come by Amid Regulatory Whiplash, Uncertain Timelines and Strained Bandwidth
Law.com CompassLaw.com RadarVerdict SearchScholar .China Law & PracticeLegal Dictionary Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card.
ABA Argues DOJ Is 'Weaponizing the Rules of Professional Conduct' in Attempting to Disqualify Susman Godfrey
Photo: Diego M.
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