Sullivan & Cromwell steps in to secure futures of eight Weil trainees

Sullivan & Cromwell is set to take on three current trainees and five future trainees from Weil, offering new homes to recruits affected by the US firm’s collapse.

The recruits will join in addition to S&C’s existing intake and will not affect anyone already offered a place or currently undertaking a training contract at the firm, Non-Billable understands.

The firm typically takes on around 15 trainees a year and plans to increase its intake further as it continues to grow in London.

Their futures were thrown into doubt after Weil’s management committee recommended an orderly wind-down on 28 October, following weeks of partner departures and failed merger talks with fellow US firm Willkie.

Weil said it would support employees through the process while continuing to serve clients over the coming months.

Latham also taking on trainees

The news comes after Latham & Watkins announced plans last week to take on five Weil trainees.

Ed Barnett, managing partner of Latham’s London office, said: “We're delighted to welcome this talented group from Weil to Latham. Training the next generation of lawyers is one of our most important responsibilities, and we're excited to support them as they look to build exceptional careers.”

Non-Billable understands the five trainees will join in addition to Latham’s usual intake.

S&C rapid London expansion continues

The additions come amid rapid expansion at S&C’s London office. The firm has added at least 12 lateral partners since hiring financial services regulatory heavyweight Barney Reynolds from A&O Shearman in June last year.

Kirkland restructuring partner Kon Asimacopoulos and former Weil London managing partner Mike Francies followed in September.

Most recently, it hired Weil M&A duo David Avery-Gee and Sarah Flaherty, with Avery-Gee joining as co-head of S&C's European M&A practice alongside Oliver Vilmorin in Paris.

And on Tuesday this week former Weil corporate counsel Mark Spiller, who frequently worked alongside Avery-Gee and Flaherty at Weil, announced that he had joined S&C as European counsel.

The firm's ambition is also reflected in its search for more office space in the City. It is in advanced talks to lease around 150,000 sq ft at 75 London Wall, approximately doubling its London footprint.

The building previously served as Deutsche Bank’s UK headquarters. S&C has occupied its current base at One New fetter Lane since 1972. The firm is set to move in 2029 or 2030, Non-Billable understands.

History repeating

The transfer of trainees from a collapsing firm has precedent. Maurice Allen, a legal consultant at Sunstone and former senior partner at Ropes & Gray, told Non-Billable that Ropes took “about six trainees” from Dewey & LeBoeuf when it collapsed in 2012.

Contemporary reporting shows that several firms offered places to Dewey’s current and future trainees, including Ropes, Morgan Lewis, Freshfields and Weil itself.

Allen said the recruits became Ropes’ first London trainees, and that the decision paid dividends.

“We got some really good people and, almost without exception, they’ve done incredibly well,” he said.