As Weil eyes a merger, who is a sizeable suitor?

US heavyweight law firm Weil Gotshal and Manges is reportedly pursuing a merger with another law firm and is in active discussions, fuelling speculation across the legal sector about the likely contenders. Leadership at the New York-headquartered firm, renowned as a powerhouse in corporate restructuring, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions, reportedly told top partners that it is negotiating a memorandum of understanding with an unnamed law firm, according to Bloomberg Law. This year, Weil has seen an exodus of top partners in London and across the Pond, including former corporate co-managing partner Michael Hickey and private equity co-head Christopher Machera, who left the firm for Paul Weiss in August. The exodus escalated the whispers that a merger was on the cards for the US firm despite a spokesperson for Weil last month saying it was not ‌engaged ⁠in merger discussions with any firm. A partner at a London-based legal recruitment firm told City AM it is “c