Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is set to significantly bolster its private funds practice by hiring over 80 lawyers from Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ U.S. team. This move includes more than 20 partners and brings the total number of Weil private funds hires by Gibson Dunn to approximately 120 over the past week.
This strategic expansion follows Gibson Dunn’s recent recruitment of nearly 40 lawyers from Weil’s London private funds team. The London group, led by co-heads James Bromley and James Sargent, comprises eight partners and about 30 counsel and associates. Other partners making the move include Philip Baynes, Fiona Cumming, Aron Joy, Marc Schubert, Sophie Smith, and Jacquelyn Volpe. Discussions between Gibson Dunn and the London team had been ongoing for over a year, predating Weil’s management committee’s recommendation to wind down the firm. ([cityam.com](https://www.cityam.com/gibson-dunn-snaps-up-weils-private-funds-team-in-city-expansion/?utm_source=openai))
Weil’s decision to wind down operations comes after nearly a century in practice and follows a series of partner departures and unsuccessful merger talks. The firm has engaged restructuring advisers AlixPartners and legal counsel from Davis Polk to assist with the process. ([financetime.org](https://financetime.org/legal/legalindustry/weils-london-private-funds-group-set-join-gibson-dunn-2026-10-29?utm_source=openai))
Gibson Dunn’s aggressive expansion in the private funds sector aligns with its broader growth strategy. The firm has more than doubled its London lawyer headcount from 84 in 2020 to 218 in 2025 and aims to reach up to 500 lawyers in London within five years. ([vargaspartners.com](https://vargaspartners.com/news/europe/story/gibson-dunn-set-to-hire-weil-london-s-near-40-strong-funds-team?utm_source=openai))
The addition of Weil’s private funds teams in both the U.S. and London positions Gibson Dunn as a formidable player in the private funds arena, enhancing its capabilities to serve a diverse range of clients across key financial markets.