A&O Shearman lawyers set to sacrifice billable hours to build AI tools Legal Partners at A&O Shearman have agreed to invest more than 5 per cent of its annual revenue over the next five years to build out its AI strategy. The magic circle firm said on Thursday it has committed $1.1bn (£816m) over five years to reflect “a firm-wide step change, enabled by AI, in how legal [...]
As Weil eyes a merger, who is a sizeable suitor? Legal US heavyweight law firm Weil Gotshal and Manges is reportedly pursuing a merger with another law firm and is in active discussions, fuelling speculation across the legal sector about the likely contenders. Leadership at the New York-headquartered firm, renowned as a powerhouse in corporate restructuring, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions, reportedly told top partners [...]
Magic Circle firm Linklaters sees partner profits soar to £2.5m after record year Legal Partners at magic circle law firm Linklaters saw pay packets double after the firm had its third consecutive year of double-digit profit growth. For its year to 30 April, 2026, Linklaters reported record revenue of £2.47bn, up nearly 7 per cent, and pre-tax profit of £1.2bn, up over 11 per cent, after hitting the billion-pound [...]
Magic circle Linklaters scores FIFA’s top lawyers in US raid July 14, 2026 Magic circle law firm Linklaters has snagged two of FIFA’s lawyers from a rival firm as part of its push into the US legal market. Partner Christopher Boehning has joined as Chair of its global sports practice and US strategic disputes, while Daniel Levi will serve in the firm’s litigation, arbitration and investigations practice, both [...]
Magic circle Freshfields ousts equity partners amid US push July 13, 2026 Senior staff are bracing for a shake-up at magic circle law firm Freshfields, as partners have been forced out to boost growth and fund its US expansion. The City-based firm has ousted several equity partners in recent weeks across several European offices, including London, according to the Financial Times, as it focuses on growth. Speaking [...]
City law firms put US partner promotions in the spotlight May 7, 2026 As law firms increasingly shift their focus to the US there has been a surge in partner promos across the Atlantic – while London is becoming more selective, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. It’s that time of year when my inbox gets flooded with press releases and Companies House notifications about partner promotions at the City’s finest [...]
Clifford Chance AI-driven redundancies hit London business service roles November 21, 2025 Law firm Clifford Chance is preparing for dozens of redundancies after launching a restructuring of its London business services team. Around 10 per cent of the 550 employees are set to lose their jobs, according to the Financial Times. It was reported that the magic circle firm told staff last month that greater use of [...]
Linklaters: Profit passes £1bn as partners set for record pay day July 22, 2025 Profit at Linklaters has surged past the £1bn for the first time as the law firm’s partners are set to share a record pay day. The London-headquartered firm, which dates back to 1838, has posted a pre-tax profit of £1.08bn for its year to 30 April, 2025, a rise of 14 per cent compared to [...]
‘Magic Circle’ law firms trying to distance themselves from the prestigious phrase May 29, 2025 'Magic Circle' is a term that has long been used to describe the elite law firms; however, within the circle, the mood is shifting around this esteemed phrase
City law firm ties bonuses to office attendance March 19, 2025 Lawyers at A&O Shearman have been re-warned that bonuses may be affected if they fail to comply with the office attendance policy