Newly-merged firm A&O Shearman is initiating significant post-merger transformations by cutting 10% of its equity partnership, closing its Johannesburg office, and ending its consulting division. These changes are set to be executed over the next several months, with the reduction in their global equity partnership—currently around 800 members—expected to be completed by April 2025. Interestingly, the firm indicated that it will continue to make lateral hires during this period.
These adjustments come as A&O Shearman was on the verge of celebrating a decade in Johannesburg, and the seismic changes were announced internally not long ago. For more details, you can read the original announcement here.