Cravath takes six Weil M&A partners led by Michael Aiello

On September 11, Reuters reported that Cravath would hire Weil corporate chair Michael Aiello and five other M&A partners, including Weil M&A co-leader Matthew Gilroy. The group brings senior client relationships and execution capacity into a practice where team continuity can affect both revenue portability and associate demand. For Cravath, the economics depend on acquired work exceeding compensation, integration and support costs; for Weil, the exposure is broader than six partner departures because the group included leadership of a 600-lawyer corporate department. Firms evaluating lateral teams should test client-level contribution and conflict-adjusted portability rather than relying on historical originations or headline deal credentials.