Sullivan & Cromwell Lands Weil London Co-Leader Amid Firmwide Talent Exodus

Key points

• David Avery-Gee, Weil’s London co-managing partner and M&A leader, is joining Sullivan & Cromwell as co-head of its European M&A practice.
• Sarah Flaherty, a Weil partner who joined in 2023, is moving to Sullivan & Cromwell alongside Avery-Gee.
• The move follows the departure of Michael Aiello, Weil’s corporate department chair, who took five partners to Cravath, Swaine & Moore in September 2026.
• Weil has appointed two new leaders to head its corporate department to address the leadership vacuum.
• The firm is also recovering from earlier losses in its private equity practice, with partners moving to Paul, Weiss and Simpson Thacher in 2026.

Background

Weil, Gotshal & Manges has faced significant leadership turnover in 2026. In early September, the firm lost multiple private equity partners to Paul, Weiss and Simpson Thacher, raising questions about succession planning. Shortly after, corporate chair Michael Aiello departed for Cravath, Swaine & Moore. While some insiders viewed Aiello’s exit as an opportunity to remove a perceived roadblock to growth, the firm has since moved to appoint new corporate leaders to stabilize its operations and attract new talent.

How outlets are covering it

Law.com reported on the exit talks as part of a broader pattern of firmwide departures across both London and New York offices. Bloomberg Law confirmed the specific destination, noting that Avery-Gee will lead Sullivan & Cromwell’s European M&A practice, and highlighted the timing relative to Aiello’s move to Cravath. The Global Legal Post framed the move as a 'double partner hire' for Sullivan & Cromwell, emphasizing the addition of both Avery-Gee and Flaherty. While all sources agree on the facts of the departure, Bloomberg Law and The Global Legal Post provide more specific details on the new roles and the immediate impact on Weil’s corporate leadership structure.

Why it matters

The departure of a co-managing partner signals potential instability in a major global firm’s London office. It highlights the competitive pressure in the M&A market and the challenges Weil faces in retaining top talent while attempting to restructure its corporate and private equity practices. For clients and the legal market, this reflects the ongoing volatility in Big Law leadership and the rapid pace of lateral hiring among elite firms.

What to watch

Weil will need to integrate its new corporate leadership and potentially recruit additional partners to replace those lost to Cravath, Swaine & Moore and other firms. Sullivan & Cromwell will focus on integrating Avery-Gee and Flaherty into its European M&A practice. The market will watch whether these departures trigger further exits from Weil or if the new leadership can stabilize the firm’s growth trajectory.