Dewey Departures Continue

The year continues to unfold poorly for Dewey & LeBoeuf – the large international firm created by the 2007 merger of Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae – as partners continue to defect in alarming numbers. Twelve partners are leaving for Willkie Farr & Gallagher, according to The Am Law Daily’s report, including “its core insurance sector transactional team.” These departures, which were apparently expected for some time, constitute a major blow.

The Times’ DealB%ok section ran a background piece on the crisis March 15, explaining that the firm’s rapid post-merger growth combined with the poor economy and performance “created a significant shortfall, forcing the firm to slash or defer pay for numerous partners.”