{"id":156767,"date":"2026-07-14T15:02:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T23:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/07\/14\/linklaters-poaches-two-paul-weiss-litigators\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T15:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T23:02:59","slug":"linklaters-poaches-two-paul-weiss-litigators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2026\/07\/14\/linklaters-poaches-two-paul-weiss-litigators\/","title":{"rendered":"Linklaters Poaches Two Paul Weiss Litigators"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christopher Boehning and Daniel Levi, two senior litigators, have jumped from Paul Weiss to the New York Linklaters office<\/a>. Boehning, FIFA\u2019s lead counsel, becomes the chair of a new global sports practice and the US strategic disputes group. Levi, who also represents the soccer governing body, arrives with 25 years of experience in \u201ccomplex litigation in a variety of substantive areas including product liability, insurance litigation, M&A litigation, and general commercial disputes decades.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a significant win for Linklaters<\/a>, who continues to bolster its U.S. presence with a global twist. But the headline \u201cX more senior litigators leave Paul Weiss\u201d is becoming the new \u201cdog bites man\u201d headline.<\/p>\n

Since March 2025 \u2014 when Paul Weiss became the first Biglaw firm to bend the knee to Donald Trump<\/a>, trading $40 million in pro bono work and its DEI programs to make an executive order go away \u2014 the litigation department has functioned as a donor organ<\/a> for the rest of the industry. Litigation co-chair Karen Dunn left with Bill Isaacson, Jeannie Rhee, and Jessica Phillips to start their own shop<\/a>. Damian Williams went to Jenner & Block, one of the firms actually fighting Trump\u2019s firm intimidation executive orders in court. Kannon Shanmugam, the crown jewel of the appellate practice, took the Supreme Court group to Davis Polk. Andrew Ehrlich and Roberto Gonzalez followed. Jeh Johnson retired. And now the team who ran point for FIFA is off to build somebody else\u2019s disputes bench.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the part the firm would prefer you not sit with. Every time another litigator leaves, Paul, Weiss issues some version of the same statement \u2014 that it \u201cprioritizes a strong litigation department,\u201d<\/a> that it\u2019s hired plenty of replacements, that everything is, in fact, fine. And in a narrow sense that\u2019s true. The firm keeps making money. Revenue jumped 23.8% last year to $3.26 billion.<\/a> <\/p>\n

Every partner heading out the door has a different story for their departure, but none of them are leaving because Paul Weiss is losing money. But the traditional litigation powerhouse is definitely making its money these days by becoming something else.<\/p>\n

After Brad Karp resigned as chair in February \u2014 a departure prompted less by the Trump deal than by breezy correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> \u2014 the firm handed the top job to Scott Barshay, an M&A rainmaker and the first corporate partner to run the place in recent memory. Barshay was, by insider accounts, one of the loudest internal champions of the Trump cave, framing capitulation as pragmatism. With Donald Trump\u2019s brand of crony capitalism holding sway, it pays to be a transactional firm that\u2019s not on Trump\u2019s bad side. Litigation isn\u2019t bringing in the big bucks in that world.<\/p>\n

As Paul Weiss becomes comfortable setting aside its roots as a litigation firm, the rest of the market is busy pricing the neglected talent. Davis Polk planted a Supreme Court flag with Shanmugam. Paul Hastings keeps picking off the bench. Linklaters now gets a disputes practice boost. Everyone can see the value in these lawyers except the firm that hosted their business for decades.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s a reflection of an industry losing a bit of its soul. No one ever accused Biglaw of not being about the money, but firms used to put a premium on renown. Even full-service firms jealously guarded their reputations. Being everyone\u2019s go-to litigation powerhouse mattered. That reputation brought in clients with business that trickled down to other practices, but firms understood that holding that sort of top-of-mind practice branding was a commodity of its own. Whether it\u2019s a new ROI-obsessed client base, or a hyperactive lateral market, or something else, doubling down on that kind of a niche doesn\u2019t seem to drive the legal industry anymore.<\/p>\n

At least not for the full-service Biglaw firms. Boutiques, meanwhile, keep springing up and out competing with the big players for compensation and recruiting. And they keep doing it based on staying laser-focused on providing elite service in a specific practice. Maybe reputation does still matter if you\u2019re still small and entrepreneurial enough to see it.<\/p>\n

In any event, congratulations to Linklaters. And early congratulations to whichever firm earns the next Paul Weiss litigation lateral headline in a couple weeks.<\/p>\n

Earlier<\/strong>: Paul, Weiss Loses Two More Litigation Partners. The Firm Would Like You To Know Everything Is Fine.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"Headshot\"Joe Patrice<\/a>\u00a0is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. Feel free to\u00a0email<\/a> any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0or Bluesky<\/a> if you\u2019re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The post Linklaters Poaches Two Paul Weiss Litigators<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Christopher Boehning and Daniel Levi, two senior litigators, have jumped from Paul Weiss to the New York Linklaters office<\/a>. Boehning, FIFA\u2019s lead counsel, becomes the chair of a new global sports practice and the US strategic disputes group. Levi, who also represents the soccer governing body, arrives with 25 years of experience in \u201ccomplex litigation in a variety of substantive areas including product liability, insurance litigation, M&A litigation, and general commercial disputes decades.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a significant win for Linklaters<\/a>, who continues to bolster its U.S. presence with a global twist. But the headline \u201cX more senior litigators leave Paul Weiss\u201d is becoming the new \u201cdog bites man\u201d headline.<\/p>\n

Since March 2025 \u2014 when Paul Weiss became the first Biglaw firm to bend the knee to Donald Trump<\/a>, trading $40 million in pro bono work and its DEI programs to make an executive order go away \u2014 the litigation department has functioned as a donor organ<\/a> for the rest of the industry. Litigation co-chair Karen Dunn left with Bill Isaacson, Jeannie Rhee, and Jessica Phillips to start their own shop<\/a>. Damian Williams went to Jenner & Block, one of the firms actually fighting Trump\u2019s firm intimidation executive orders in court. Kannon Shanmugam, the crown jewel of the appellate practice, took the Supreme Court group to Davis Polk. Andrew Ehrlich and Roberto Gonzalez followed. Jeh Johnson retired. And now the team who ran point for FIFA is off to build somebody else\u2019s disputes bench.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the part the firm would prefer you not sit with. Every time another litigator leaves, Paul, Weiss issues some version of the same statement \u2014 that it \u201cprioritizes a strong litigation department,\u201d<\/a> that it\u2019s hired plenty of replacements, that everything is, in fact, fine. And in a narrow sense that\u2019s true. The firm keeps making money. Revenue jumped 23.8% last year to $3.26 billion.<\/a> <\/p>\n

Every partner heading out the door has a different story for their departure, but none of them are leaving because Paul Weiss is losing money. But the traditional litigation powerhouse is definitely making its money these days by becoming something else.<\/p>\n

After Brad Karp resigned as chair in February \u2014 a departure prompted less by the Trump deal than by breezy correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> \u2014 the firm handed the top job to Scott Barshay, an M&A rainmaker and the first corporate partner to run the place in recent memory. Barshay was, by insider accounts, one of the loudest internal champions of the Trump cave, framing capitulation as pragmatism. With Donald Trump\u2019s brand of crony capitalism holding sway, it pays to be a transactional firm that\u2019s not on Trump\u2019s bad side. Litigation isn\u2019t bringing in the big bucks in that world.<\/p>\n

As Paul Weiss becomes comfortable setting aside its roots as a litigation firm, the rest of the market is busy pricing the neglected talent. Davis Polk planted a Supreme Court flag with Shanmugam. Paul Hastings keeps picking off the bench. Linklaters now gets a disputes practice boost. Everyone can see the value in these lawyers except the firm that hosted their business for decades.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s a reflection of an industry losing a bit of its soul. No one ever accused Biglaw of not being about the money, but firms used to put a premium on renown. Even full-service firms jealously guarded their reputations. Being everyone\u2019s go-to litigation powerhouse mattered. That reputation brought in clients with business that trickled down to other practices, but firms understood that holding that sort of top-of-mind practice branding was a commodity of its own. Whether it\u2019s a new ROI-obsessed client base, or a hyperactive lateral market, or something else, doubling down on that kind of a niche doesn\u2019t seem to drive the legal industry anymore.<\/p>\n

At least not for the full-service Biglaw firms. Boutiques, meanwhile, keep springing up and out competing with the big players for compensation and recruiting. And they keep doing it based on staying laser-focused on providing elite service in a specific practice. Maybe reputation does still matter if you\u2019re still small and entrepreneurial enough to see it.<\/p>\n

In any event, congratulations to Linklaters. And early congratulations to whichever firm earns the next Paul Weiss litigation lateral headline in a couple weeks.<\/p>\n

Earlier<\/strong>: Paul, Weiss Loses Two More Litigation Partners. The Firm Would Like You To Know Everything Is Fine.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"Headshot\"Joe Patrice<\/a>\u00a0is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. Feel free to\u00a0email<\/a> any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0or Bluesky<\/a> if you\u2019re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The post Linklaters Poaches Two Paul Weiss Litigators<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christopher Boehning and Daniel Levi, two senior litigators, have jumped from Paul Weiss to the New York Linklaters office. Boehning, FIFA\u2019s lead counsel, becomes the chair of a new global sports practice and the US strategic disputes group. Levi, who also represents the soccer governing body, arrives with 25 years of experience in \u201ccomplex litigation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-156767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156767\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}