Biglaw, Lateral Moves, Musical Chairs, Partner Issues, Texas

Weil Weil West: Weil Gotshal Reiterates Its Commitment To Texas

Glenn West, Weil Gotshal's managing partner in Dallas, issues a statement about the firm's Texas operations.

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Don’t mess with Texas — or the presence of Weil Gotshal in that sovereign republic great state. The firm has just announced that it’s deep in the heart of Texas — and staying there.

That’s the latest news from the Weil Weil West — Glenn West, that is, the managing partner of the firm’s Dallas office and a member of the WGM management committee. West just issued a public statement reaffirming the firm’s commitment to the Lone Star State, despite the departures of dozens of lawyers from Weil’s Dallas and Houston offices in recent weeks.

So what does this statement say, and how did it come about?

After the Dallas Business Review requested an interview with Glenn West, West released this statement:

Weil is committed to Dallas and to Texas and to the many valued clients we have in the region, in addition to our attorneys and staff here. Our Dallas team includes some of the best Private Equity, M&A, Tax, Sponsor Finance, Bankruptcy and Restructuring, and Litigation practitioners in the marketplace, who are servicing clients significant to the firm, and we have already begun executing on the firm’s strategy to grow the office in our core practice areas.

But actions speak louder than words. The clear message of Weil’s June layoffs and partner pay cuts is that the firm wants to shrink its bankruptcy and litigation practices. This shift in emphasis contributed to the defections of many Texas litigation partners, including Yvette Ostolaza, former co-head of Weil’s Complex Commercial Litigation practice.

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And note the language in this paragraph, talking about “servicing clients significant to the firm” and “executing on the firm’s strategy to grow the office in our core practice areas.” As hinted at in their departure memos, some of the former Weil partners feared that the firm’s focus on key clients and core practices would mean less support for the Texas operations.

Back to West’s statement, which concludes:

I am extremely energized and enthusiastic about our office and its prospects. This office provides clients with access to Weil’s premier global platform, and our entire team is focused on providing the legal excellence and top client service that are a hallmark of Weil.

That sounds like a lot of PR-generated boilerplate; it doesn’t say a lot. What says more: West’s decision to decline an interview with the Dallas Business Review, during which he would no doubt be asked tough questions, and to send out this banal statement instead.

If anyone has actual interesting news to share with us about Weil, whether in Texas or beyond, you know where to reach us. You can email us, or you can text us (646-820-8477). Thanks.

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Weil Gotshal’s Glenn West: We’re committed to Dallas [Dallas Business Journal]

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