The year may have got off to a turbulent start, but Weil Gotshal & Manges’ London corporate team is having the run of its life in Q1 2026.
Led by London office co-managing partner David Avery-Gee, who joined from Linklaters in 2019, the M&A team has won roles on some of the biggest public and private M&A deals announced this quarter.
Significantly, these mandates include roles for listed UK corporates more commonly linked with the largest UK players.
This was particularly evident in Weil’s role opposite A&O Shearman advising mining giant Glencore on its subsequently aborted merger talks with Rio Tinto – a deal that could have created a $260bn industry leader.
Although the deal was aborted, the mandate was a coup for Avery-Gee and his team, cementing longstanding ties with Glencore that began when Avery-Gee was a partner at Linklaters.
Speaking to LB, Avery-Gee says Weil’s lead on the deal marks a notable shift in the London corporate scene.
‘Historically, a transaction like Glencore/Rio would invariably have been led by two magic circle firms, so to have been put into the position to lead on it was a significant and exciting moment for the team,’ he says.
Avery-Gee brought his magic circle connections to the Wall Street firm in 2019, and has been focused on transforming Weil’s City corporate practice into a serious player in the London market since.
The team now comprises four partners, with Avery-Gee working alongside Murray Cox, who joined from Slaughter and May in 2021, Sarah Flaherty, who moved from Linklaters in 2023, and Jack Gray, who made partner in January this year.
The group may be small, but partners have been busy. In addition to the Glencore mandate, they have won a first-time M&A deal advising Harbour Energy plc on its $3.2bn acquisition of US-based LLOG Holdings, worked on Advent’s €7.8bn acquisition of InPost and advised American Securities alongside US colleagues on its $3.25bn sale of CPM Holdings and ASP MWI Holdings to Rosebank.
Also notable is Avery-Gee’s role advising Balderton Capital on its investment into Wayve, the autonomous driving company, during a funding round in February of this year, which raised £1.5bn.
‘A really unique structure’
Unlike some firms, Weil’s 50-strong team of associates and counsel in London work across both public M&A and private equity.
It’s a move that Avery-Gee believes is an effective differentiator. ‘We have a different structure in our corporate practice when compared to other firms, meaning lawyers are exposed to a broader range of corporate transactions.’
‘In our view, it’s necessary to have a variety of work to stay motivated and engaged,’ he adds.
In addition to keeping associates happy, he also thinks this is a selling point for clients.
‘It’s a really unique structure, which we believe adds to the client experience, as our lawyers are more commercially rounded and experienced,’ he says.
And it appears clients would agree, as Weil’s corporate team was recognised as a top-performing corporate practice based on client feedback collected by Legal 500 on its premium M&A rankings in London.
Commenting on the recognition, Avery-Gee says: ‘We were thrilled to be recognised by our clients as a leading corporate practice in the areas of quality and client service and ranked number one overall.’
Hoping to maintain this momentum, Avery-Gee is grappling with how to implement AI to help the team evolve and meet client needs, with a number of associates involved in AI initiatives.
‘We’re focused on creating an environment where AI and emerging technologies can be integrated thoughtfully into our practice,’ he says.
‘It’s about understanding and anticipating where the market is going and using technology in a way that enhances efficiency and the service we deliver to clients,’ Avery-Gee concludes.
