Prominent Litigation Group Departs Willkie Farr & Gallagher for Cooley
A significant group of seven litigation partners has reportedly left Willkie Farr & Gallagher to join Cooley LLP. This notable lateral move comes in the wake of a deal Willkie was involved in with President Donald Trump concerning a potential executive order, adding a unique political dimension to the transition.
The departing group includes Simona Agnolucci and Benedict Hur, who served as Willkie’s managing partners in San Francisco. Both Agnolucci and Hur previously held partner positions at Keker, Van Nest & Peters, a firm known for its public criticism of the Trump administration’s actions impacting the legal industry.
The move of this seven-partner team, particularly one involving managing partners from a key office, represents a substantial shift of litigation talent in the competitive legal market.
Context: Trump Deal and Firm Contrasts
The transition is highlighted as occurring “in the wake of” a deal struck between Willkie – one of nine firms – and President Trump. This agreement was reportedly made to avoid the implementation of a specific executive order.
In notable contrast to Willkie’s reported engagement with the Trump administration, Cooley is highlighted for having taken a different path. Cooley represented clients who actively opposed the administration’s executive order, specifically taking up representation against the order on behalf of Jenner & Block. This divergence in how the firms interacted with the administration’s policies provides a compelling backdrop to the litigators’ decision to move to Cooley.
The departure of partners, including former leaders from a firm like Keker which had a vocal stance against the administration, to a firm that actively litigated against a Trump executive order, suggests the political climate and firms’ positions regarding the administration may have played a role in shaping lateral market movements during this period.
