Cadwalader boosts London partnership ranks after year of exits and merger talk

Cadwalader has promoted seven lawyers to partner, including four in London, following a year of higher attrition for the firm and merger speculation.

New London partners include:

• Jack Kelly - Funds
• David Kiernan - Capital Markets
• Matthew Peters - Real Estate
• Jodie Valler-Feltham - Corporate

The promotions are effective 1 January 2026.

A year of change

The promotions follow Orrick's CLO and structured finance raid on the firm in the autumn, where Cadwalader lost 37 lawyers globally, including 10 partners, to its US rival. The moves reshaped parts of the firm’s finance bench on both sides of the Atlantic.

The announcements also come against a backdrop of market speculation around Cadwalader’s longer-term strategic direction, which the firm has previously sought to play down. In November, reports emerged that Cadwalader was in talks with Alston & Bird about a potential merger.

A people business

Cadwalader’s co-managing partner Pat Quinn said the past year has been one of the "most successful" in Cadwalader’s 233-year history. Co-managing partner Wes Misson noted that in addition to the senior promotions, 95 new lawyers have joined the firm this year, emphasising that they are in a "people business".

Last year, the firm promoted only two partners in New York, none in London. The firm is smaller in size to many US rivals, with a total partnership around the 100 mark.