Are Redundancies On The Horizon After Allen & Overy Merges With Shearman?
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When you delve into the details, there isn't much overlap. We, compared to Shearman, are small in the U.S., and the practices are in fact compatible. In the rest of the world, our practices are substantially larger than Shearman's, and the overlap is very limited. There isn't a plan for redundancy, but rather strengthening our capabilities in the areas we operate.
-- Wim Dejonghe, global senior partner of Allen & Overy, in comments given to the American Lawyer on the prospect of layoffs taking place after the firm combines with Shearman & Sterling to form A&O Shearman. Both Dejonghe and Adam Hakki, Shearman's senior partner, have said that redundancies aren't really a concern of theirs because of their complementary office locations and practice areas. "We are positive about where the vote will end up. And we are having conversations about integration, culture and clients," Dejonghe said. "The partnership is asking the right questions with the right focus."
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she's worked since 2011. She'd love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads or connect with her on LinkedIn.