In an effort to remain competitive in the increasingly crowded legal market, WilmerHale has introduced a new non-equity partner tier, making it one of several Am Law 100 firms to adopt a dual-tier partnership structure. The change, which was confirmed by managing partner Anjan Sahni, aims to provide the firm with more flexibility in attracting, promoting, and retaining top-tier talent. This move reflects a significant trend among major law firms, particularly as they seek to offer potential lateral hires more attractive partnership options.
“Creating an income tier in the partnership gives us more flexibility to attract, promote, and retain the most sought-after talent in a very competitive market,” Sahni said, noting that it benefits clients, the firm, and its lawyers, who now have an additional pathway for career advancement. Notably, the firm emphasized that no current equity partners would be affected by this structural modification.
Legal recruiter Justine Donahue from Macrae weighed in on the shift, highlighting its importance for lateral candidates. “They’re competing in the market where a lot of these other firms have non-equity tiers. If they have to offer them a counsel title, they’ll lose to the firm with the non-equity partner title. That’s definitely something lateral candidates think about when making an evaluation.”
To read more about this development, please visit the full article on Bloomberg Law.