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Weil Gotshal & Manges is pursuing merger plans with sources identifying Willkie as a top candidate, though it remains unclear if those discussions are currently active. Weil has also approached other firms as potential merger partners. (American Lawyer, October 20, 2026)

Weil, Gotshal & Manges is negotiating a merger with an unnamed law firm, with an announcement potentially coming this week, according to Bloomberg Law. The talks involve a memorandum of understanding outlining combination terms, though negotiations could still fail. This comes as Weil faces significant partner departures, including corporate chair Michael Aiello and M&A co-head Matthew Gilroy moving to Cravath, Swaine & Moore, along with other senior partners joining Sullivan & Cromwell, Paul Weiss, and Simpson Thacher. The firm has experienced leadership changes over the past decade as competitors have overtaken it on key financial metrics. While Weil has made some strategic hires, including rehiring Debra Sinclair from Willkie Farr & Gallagher and bringing in private equity veteran Peter Feist from Cravath, the ongoing partner exodus creates urgency for closing any merger deal before confidentiality breaks down further.

M&A deal value in Q3 2026 dropped noticeably from the prior two quarters, though overall deal value for the year remains on track to be one of the strongest years ever. Eversheds' international head of corporate attributes this to an "democratization of M&A" driven by the AI economy, which is expected to generate more deals overall, though many will be smaller transactions of less interest to Big Law practices. (Source: American Lawyer, October 20, 2026)