Kirkland Gets Closer to Hiring Weil's Ramona Nee, Along With 20-Member Team

Live updates

1. 27m ago

   Kirkland & Ellis Adds 40-Lawyer Team From Collapsing Weil Firm

   Kirkland & Ellis has officially added a 40-lawyer group from the winding-down Wall Street law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, led by private equity and M&A partners Ramona Nee, Jakub Wronski, Emily Willey, and Michael Messina, alongside debt finance partners Benton Lewis and Paul Overmyer. This large group acquisition ranks among the most significant talent moves resulting from the unexpected dissolution of Weil, which historically handled major bankruptcy cases like Lehman Brothers and Enron. Top rival firms have been aggressively racing to hire attorneys and staff following the collapse of the 95-year-old firm.

   Why it matters

   The sudden dissolution of Weil, Gotshal & Manges has triggered a talent frenzy across the legal industry as rival firms rush to absorb displaced lawyers and handle major ongoing lawsuits left in transition. Ramona Nee, described as Weil's executive partner in waiting, brought her private equity and debt finance team to Kirkland in one of the largest group acquisitions from the collapsed firm. Other major industry players, such as Goodwin and Latham & Watkins, have also moved swiftly to pick up leadership and trainee talent from the remnants of the firm.

   What is confirmed

   • Kirkland & Ellis announced that 40 lawyers led by private equity and M&A partners Ramona Nee, Jakub Wronski, Emily Willey, and Michael Messina, and debt finance partners Benton Lewis and Paul Overmyer, will join the firm.
   • Weil, Gotshal & Manges is winding down its operations after a 95-year history.
   • Latham & Watkins hired five Weil trainees following the firm's collapse.
   • The pending wind-down of Weil Gotshal hits around 50 jobs in Boston.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Goodwin grabbed a Weil leader as the talent frenzy began.

   What to watch next

   • Further announcements of large team departures or wind-down details from other Weil offices
   • Developments regarding the transition of major pending lawsuits handled by Weil
   • Additional rescue hires of remaining Weil associates or trainees by rival law firms
   Sources used for this update (17)

   1. CNBC — Weil, Gotshal & Manges, longtime Wall Street law firm, plans wind down
   2. Bloomberg.com — Weil Gotshal’s 95-Year History Careened to a Close in Just Days
   3. Reuters — Weil’s dissolution would leave major lawsuits in transition
   4. WSJ — Opinion | The Ethics Rules Behind Weil Gotshal’s ‘Partner Run’
   5. Law.com — Kirkland Gets Closer to Hiring Weil's Ramona Nee, Along With 20-Member Team
   6. Boston.com — Weil Gotshal’s pending wind-down would hit around 50 jobs in Boston
   7. Law.com — Latham & Watkins Hires 5 Weil Trainees in Rescue Swoop
   8. The Business Journals — Goodwin grabs Weil leader as talent 'frenzy' begins
   9. The Indiana Lawyer — Heavyweight law firm Weil Gotshal winding down operations
   10. Yahoo Finance — Law firm that handled Lehman, Enron bankruptcies plans to wind down
   11. Bloomberg Law News — Weil Gotshal Implosion Has Top Rivals Racing to Hire Lawyers (1)
   12. www.law.com — Kirkland Gets Closer to Hiring Weil's Ramona Nee, Along With ...
   confidence 95%