After a viral video caught a partner making out with an associate on a park bench, briefly thrusting Wachtell into the mainstream consciousness, we figured it would blow over quickly. But then Gibson Dunn moved forward with a splashy mass poaching event, adding the new life to the story, as reports surfaced that the Kissgate partner would’ve made the leap too, until his Central Park rendition of afternoon delight led Gibson to cut him out of the deal.
It looks like the New York Post simply won’t give up on this story, now reporting that the headliners moving over from Wachtell were ALSO hooking up.
But unlike the park makeout, neither of the partners involved in this rumor are married — well, one is in the middle of a divorce, I suppose, but was separated at the time — and since Wachtell still believes in true equity partnership, no one was anyone’s boss here. There are no office policies against it, and even the Post admits that the relationship is reportedly over.
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Though if there’s anything the Post’s coverage of Mayor Mamdani has proven, it’s that it will never stop ranting about a subject no matter how benign until they’ve exhausted every last click from it.
From our perspective at Above the Law, the real story is law firm sweatshop ethos. Why is everyone at Wachtell hooking up (with varying levels of propriety)? Maybe if the firm let people stop billing and get out of the office more, they wouldn’t find themselves running a freshman dorm for seven-figure professionals.
Whenever a sneering Biglaw poser scoffs at work-life balance, they fail to understand that law firms are a lot like Jurassic Park and life will find a way. If the firm doesn’t want that life to land them in the Post, they probably should consider making adjustments to make sure life stays as far away from the office as possible.
Bosses of canoodling Central Park lawyers were also hooking up — and one just got a $100M payday [NY Post]
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Earlier: Gibson Dunn Snags Wachtell Partners… But One Planned Lateral Got Literally & Figuratively Benched
Biglaw Partner-Associate Public Makeout Sesh Posted On Social Media
Makeout Video Elevates Wachtell To The Internet’s Main Character