Wachtell partner at centre of viral TikTok saga leaves firm

Wachtell litigation partner Nathaniel Cullerton has left the elite New York firm following a viral TikTok video that derailed his planned move to Gibson Dunn.

“Wachtell Lipton and Mr. Cullerton mutually agreed to part ways,” a spokesperson for the firm told the New York Post.

Cullerton’s profile no longer appears on Wachtell’s website.

The departure brings an end to several weeks of uncertainty over Cullerton’s future at Wachtell after footage showing him kissing a junior associate on a bench in Central Park went viral.

Move falls apart

Cullerton had been expected to join Gibson Dunn alongside former Wachtell co-chair William Savitt and five other litigation partners. His planned move fell through after the video spread widely on social media, while Wachtell reportedly placed him on leave pending an internal investigation.

‍The New York Post, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that Cullerton remained on leave for several weeks while Wachtell investigated the relationship. The publication said the firm had concerns about the difference in seniority between Cullerton, a partner, and the junior associate.

Wachtell reportedly did not have a policy in place governing relationships between colleagues.

His departure comes during an unusually active period of partner exits from Wachtell. Savitt and five litigation partners joined Gibson Dunn in July, while Linklaters this month hired 30-year Wachtell veteran Mark Gordon as its Americas managing partner and co-chair of global M&A.

Wachtell did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.