Featured Stories
Ropes & Gray Advised Eli Lilly in Acquisition of AtaiBeckley to Advance Therapies for Treatment-Resistant Depression and Other Mental Health Conditions Valued Up to $3.8 Billion
BOSTON, Massachusetts, July 17 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised Eli Lilly in Acquisition of AtaiBeckley to Advance Therapies for Treatment-Resistant Depression and Other Mental Health Conditions Valued Up to $3.8 Billion
Ropes & Gray represented Eli Lilly and Company in an agreement to acquire AtaiBeckley Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for mental health conditions.
The transaction that expands Lilly's neuroscience pipeline was announced on July 16 and represents an aggregate
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, July 17 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised Eli Lilly in Acquisition of AtaiBeckley to Advance Therapies for Treatment-Resistant Depression and Other Mental Health Conditions Valued Up to $3.8 Billion
Ropes & Gray represented Eli Lilly and Company in an agreement to acquire AtaiBeckley Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for mental health conditions.
The transaction that expands Lilly's neuroscience pipeline was announced on July 16 and represents an aggregateequity value of approximately $3.8 billion in upfront cash and Contingent Value Rights.
AtaiBeckley is developing a pipeline of rapid-acting neuroplastogens including multiple clinical-stage programs and a discovery pipeline of next-generation compounds. The lead asset, BPL-003 (mebufotenin benzoate), is a synthetic form of 5-MeO-DMT administered intranasally for treatment-resistant depression, which affects millions of people in the United States. Emerging research indicates that treatment-resistant depression and other serious mental health conditions may involve a loss of synaptic plasticity, the brain's ability to form and strengthen connections in regions critical to mood regulation.
AtaiBeckley's therapies are designed to restore synaptic connectivity and aim to promote the growth of new neural connections, offering a distinct mechanism from conventional antidepressants that primarily target neurotransmitter levels.
The Ropes & Gray team advising on the acquisition was led by mergers & acquisitions partner Emily Oldshue and counsel Nicholas Roper and included IP transactions partner Megan Baca, executive compensation & benefits partner Renata Ferrari and counsel Christa Sanchez, antitrust partners Mike McFalls, Ruchit Patel and Zak Goodwin, tax partner Pam Glazier, health care partner David Peloquin, life sciences partner Greg Levine, anticorruption and international risk partner Brendan Hanifin and counsel Kurt Fowler, and real estate partners David Kaye and Peter Alpert.
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URL: Eli Lilly and Company
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/07/ropes-gray-advised-eli-lilly-in-acquisition-of-ataibeckley-to-advance-therapies
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Hughes Hubbard Again Recognized in Latinvex's 2026 Top International Law Firms
NEW YORK, July 17 -- Hughes Hubbard and Reed, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Hughes Hubbard Again Recognized in Latinvex's 2026 Top International Law Firms
Recognition highlights the firm's leading Latin America practice.
Highlights
* Ranked among Latin America's top international law firms by Latinvex for 2026.
* Advised on significant Latin American transactions, including financings, arbitrations and airline restructurings in the region.
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Hughes Hubbard has again been recognized by Latinvex as one of Latin America's top international law firms for 2026.
The firm was ranked
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, July 17 -- Hughes Hubbard and Reed, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Hughes Hubbard Again Recognized in Latinvex's 2026 Top International Law Firms
Recognition highlights the firm's leading Latin America practice.
Highlights
* Ranked among Latin America's top international law firms by Latinvex for 2026.
* Advised on significant Latin American transactions, including financings, arbitrations and airline restructurings in the region.
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Hughes Hubbard has again been recognized by Latinvex as one of Latin America's top international law firms for 2026.
The firm was rankedin six categories: Arbitration, Aviation & Airports, Banking & Finance, Energy, Environment and Mining.
The recognition reflects Hughes Hubbard's continued work on significant matters across Latin America. The firm has defended and continues to represent the Republic of Panama in more than $27 billion of international arbitration claims involving the mining sector, as well as the Republic of Colombia in more than $20 billion of claims concerning the San Jose galleon - the "holy grail" of shipwrecks.
Our finance team represented the administrative agent and more than 20 lenders in a $1.775 billion export prepayment revolving credit facility for Suzano International Finance B.V. and advised Bladex as arranger on a $206 million credit facility to support Grupo Estrella's acquisition of Cemex's operations in Panama, while the aviation and corporate reorganization teams have advised on major airline restructurings, including representing United Airlines in Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras S.A.'s Chapter 11 reorganization and advising on the restructuring of GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A.
The firm has also advised on significant corporate transactions, including advising Uala in an equity financing led by Allianz X that valued the Latin American neobank at $3.2 billion on a post-money basis.
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Original text here: https://www.hugheshubbard.com/news-insights/news/hughes-hubbard-again-recognized-in-latinvex-s-2026-top-international-law-firms
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Fisher Phillips Issues Insight: Businesses Fight Back Against Vivek Shah's Privacy Demand Letter Spree - 4 Recent Developments to Know
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 17 -- Fisher Phillips, a law firm, issued the following insight on July 16, 2026:
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Businesses Fight Back Against Vivek Shah's Privacy Demand Letter Spree: 4 Recent Developments to Know
Vivek Shah has sent thousands of website privacy demand letters to businesses nationwide over the past year and a half, alleging that ordinary website tracking tools violate California's decades-old wiretapping law. But Shah's prolific campaign - which might soon hit your business, regardless of your location - has hit turbulence on four separate fronts: a federal dismissal, an arbitration
... Show Full Article
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 17 -- Fisher Phillips, a law firm, issued the following insight on July 16, 2026:
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Businesses Fight Back Against Vivek Shah's Privacy Demand Letter Spree: 4 Recent Developments to Know
Vivek Shah has sent thousands of website privacy demand letters to businesses nationwide over the past year and a half, alleging that ordinary website tracking tools violate California's decades-old wiretapping law. But Shah's prolific campaign - which might soon hit your business, regardless of your location - has hit turbulence on four separate fronts: a federal dismissal, an arbitrationloss he's now trying to undo, and two businesses that have gone on the offense and sued him directly. Here's what happened and what it means for your business - and what to do you if you get a demand letter from Vivek Shah.
Quick Primer on Vivek Shah
Vivek Shah is a self-represented plaintiff who is asserting CIPA (California Invasion of Privacy Act) claims against businesses from coast to coast. Shah has asserted these claims in demand letters and lawsuits in court and arbitrations since at least Fall 2024.
Until his latest demand letter campaign spanning the last few months, Shah's claims were primarily under Section 631, CIPA's wiretapping provision. His theory? By sharing search terms he typed into a search bar (like his first name "VIVEK") with third parties such as Google Analytics, the business websites committed "wiretapping."
His most recent spree of demand letters asserts a different claim under Section 638.51, CIPA's pen register (or trap & trace) provision.
Fisher Phillips alone has over 100 clients who received letters, arbitration claims, or lawsuits from this single plaintiff. In our experience, Shah demands a payment, and if the business does not pay his demand, he may file suit or commence an arbitration claim.
Vivek Shah Resource Toolkit for Businesses
* We broke down who Shah is targeting and what to do about it in our original Insight: Did Your Business Get a Website Privacy Demand Letter From Vivek Shah? Here's What You Should Do Now
* We followed up on the unique exposure facing schools and educational institutions: Why Your School Could Be in the Crosshairs of Vivek Shah's Website Privacy Demand Letter Spree
* And we discussed our firm's attempts to convince California lawmakers to pass a bill that would curb some of these litigious practices: Bill to Curb California Wiretapping Lawsuits Makes Progress: 5 Takeaways from FP's Testimony Before the State Legislature
4 Recent Developments Provide Playbook for Businesses
If you are on the receiving end of a demand letter from Shah, or are otherwise litigating a digital wiretapping claim, you'll want to track four recent developments to help you formulate a defense plan - or a plan of attack.
1. A Federal Court Dismissed Shah's Claim Without Leave to Amend
On May 28, Judge Anne Hwang of the Central District of California dismissed Shah's CIPA lawsuit against TalentBridge, Inc. on two independent grounds. Most significantly, the court held Shah lacked Article III standing. Shah's claim centered on alleged privacy violations that occurred when he searched generic terms like "jobs no background check" on TalentBridge's website.
The court ruled that generic search terms like these don't create a protectable privacy interest because they aren't tied to a searcher's specific identity. As the court put it, a schoolteacher, a researcher, or an employer might type the exact same terms into a job search bar. Because amendment would be futile, the court denied Shah leave to amend and closed the case. Shah has appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
2. Shah Lost an Arbitration, Too, and is Now Trying to Undo It
In Vivek Shah v. Pashion Footwear Inc., an arbitrator dismissed both of Shah's claims, a CIPA claim and a parallel federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act claim, in a May 4 award. The arbitrator denied Shah leave to amend and closed the case entirely.
On May 7, he filed a petition in the Central District of California asking the court to vacate that award. How the court resolves the petition is worth watching, since it will speak directly to whether Shah can keep using the same theories that have already failed him in federal court.
3. A Real Estate Tech Platform Sued Shah First
Instead of waiting to be sued, Lofty Inc., a real estate technology company, went on offense. After Shah sent Lofty a demand letter on June 13 alleging that its website violated CIPA's pen register provision (Penal Code Section 638.51), Lofty filed suit in the Central District of California seeking a declaratory judgment that its analytics tools don't violate CIPA and that Shah lacks standing to claim otherwise.
Lofty's complaint relies on a growing body of court decisions rejecting the theory that routine website analytics tools qualify as illegal pen registers, a term originally written for telephone surveillance. Lofty also argues Shah lacks standing because he visited its platform not as a genuine customer, but as what the complaint calls a "litigation investigator" seeking to manufacture a claim.
4. An Out-of-State Law Firm Sued Shah, Too
Shah's demand letters aren't limited to California businesses. On June 3, he sent a demand letter to Ovadia Law Group, P.A., a Florida personal injury firm with no California offices, employees, or clients, alleging its website violated CIPA's pen register provisions. Ovadia didn't settle but instead sued Shah in the Southern District of Florida, seeking a declaration that CIPA doesn't apply extraterritorially to a Florida-only business, along with damages for abuse of process.
What This Means If You've Received a Demand Letter
None of these four developments make Shah's demand letters disappear, and they don't resolve the underlying legal questions. But what's changed is the practical landscape. Businesses now have recent court precedents and solid examples of companies successfully pushing back rather than settling to help guide their decision-making.
If your business has received a demand letter from Vivek Shah:
* Don't ignore it, and don't respond directly. Loop in counsel who knows Shah's litigation history and the current state of the law before you do anything else.
* Document your website's tracking setup now. Know what tools you're running, what data they collect, and who receives it, in case you need that record later.
* Ask your attorney about your options beyond settlement. Dismissal, and in some cases going on offense the way Lofty and Ovadia did, are both now live possibilities backed by recent case law.
* Support efforts to enact a bill that would help to curb wiretapping lawsuits. You can read about SB 690 here, and then directly or indirectly support the various coalitions, including the Alliance for Legal Fairness and others. More specifically, in the next few weeks, contact your California state legislators and advocate for the bill. If you have been targeted by Vivek Shah, tell your story so that the legislators understand the real-world implications.
* Keep tracking developments. Our Digital Wiretapping Litigation Map tracks related cases across all 50 states, and we'll continue to update this series as Shah's appeal, the Lofty and Ovadia declaratory judgment actions, and his vacatur petition in the Pashion Footwear matter move forward.
Conclusion
To stay current on CIPA developments, legislative progress, and other California privacy litigation trends, subscribe to Fisher Phillips' Insights. For guidance specific to your situation, contact your Fisher Phillips attorney, the authors of this Insight, or any member of our Digital Wiretapping Litigation Team or Privacy and Cyber Team.
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Related People
Darcey M. Groden, CIPP/US
Partner
858.597.9627
dgroden@fisherphillips.com
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Anthony Isola
Partner
415.490.9018
aisola@fisherphillips.com
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Usama Kahf, CIPP/US
Partner
949.798.2118
ukahf@fisherphillips.com
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Danielle Kays
Partner
312.260.4751
dkays@fisherphillips.com
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Original text here: https://www.fisherphillips.com/en/insights/insights/businesses-fight-back-against-vivek-shahs-privacy-demand-letter-spree
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Citi Private Bank's Former Global Head of Family Office Wealth Advisory, Adam Von Poblitz, Joins Akerman
MIAMI, Florida, July 17 -- Akerman, a law firm, issued the following news release on July 15, 2026:
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Citi Private Bank's Former Global Head of Family Office Wealth Advisory, Adam von Poblitz, Joins Akerman
Nationally Recognized Wealth Planning Authority and Advisor to Major Art Collections to Chair the Firm's Family Office Practice
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Akerman today announced that Adam von Poblitz has joined the firm as a partner and chair of its Family Office Practice. Based in Miami, Adam is a nationally recognized authority on domestic and international wealth planning and a trusted advisor to some of
... Show Full Article
MIAMI, Florida, July 17 -- Akerman, a law firm, issued the following news release on July 15, 2026:
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Citi Private Bank's Former Global Head of Family Office Wealth Advisory, Adam von Poblitz, Joins Akerman
Nationally Recognized Wealth Planning Authority and Advisor to Major Art Collections to Chair the Firm's Family Office Practice
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Akerman today announced that Adam von Poblitz has joined the firm as a partner and chair of its Family Office Practice. Based in Miami, Adam is a nationally recognized authority on domestic and international wealth planning and a trusted advisor to some ofthe world's most sophisticated families and family offices. He brings nearly three decades of experience counseling ultra-high-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, private trust companies, and charitable organizations on the complex legal, tax, governance, and succession issues that accompany substantial wealth. His arrival further strengthens Akerman's ability to serve clients with increasingly global assets, family members, and business interests.
Before joining Akerman, Adam spent nearly two decades at Citi Private Bank, culminating in his role as Global Head of Wealth Advisory for the Global Family Office Group. There he advised leading families and family office executives on the structures that govern significant wealth across generations and jurisdictions, and led teams developing wealth planning strategies for U.S. and international clients at the intersection of tax, trust, governance, succession, and cross-border regulation. During his tenure at Citi, he also served as Global Head of Cross-Border Wealth Planning, Head of Citi Trust North America, and Head of Estate Planning, and was named to Citi's Chairman's Council -- a distinction reserved for the bank's top performers -- as both a franchise leader and a product leader.
The appointment comes as family offices multiply worldwide and the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history gets underway -- trends that are driving demand for coordinated legal, tax, and governance counsel in California, New York, and, more recently, in South Florida, which has emerged as a leading hub for family offices and private capital.
"Adam is a premier advisor in the family office space, with an extraordinary track record guiding families through the preservation, governance, and transfer of significant assets across generations and borders," said David Blum, Tax Practice Group Chair. "Our clients face increasingly complex domestic and international tax, investment, succession, and governance challenges. Adam's experience advising family offices and globally connected families significantly enhances our ability to serve private clients whose needs extend well beyond traditional estate planning."
Over his career, Adam has advised families with substantial operating businesses, investment portfolios, private trust structures, philanthropic enterprises, and international holdings. He is particularly well known for helping families align legal and tax planning with broader objectives relating to stewardship, legacy, family continuity, and long-term wealth preservation.
Adam also offers distinctive experience advising collectors, fiduciaries, and institutions on the planning, succession, and tax considerations associated with significant art collections. His formal training in fine and decorative arts, combined with extensive trusts and estates experience, allows him to provide strategic counsel on the stewardship and transfer of valuable cultural assets.
Adam focuses his practice on estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning; income tax planning; cross-border and international estate planning for U.S.-connected clients; trust and estate administration; business succession planning; premarital planning; and philanthropic and charitable planning.
"Today's wealthy families face challenges that are more international, interconnected, and multigenerational than ever before," said Adam. "Family members are more mobile, assets are more global, and generational transitions are arriving faster than ever. Akerman's platform allows me to help families and family offices meet those challenges comprehensively, across planning, governance, succession, and philanthropy, in the United States and around the world."
Before moving in-house, Adam practiced trusts and estates law at prominent New York law firms, where his work encompassed sophisticated estate planning, estate administration, probate and fiduciary litigation, and art law.
A sought-after speaker on wealth planning topics, Adam regularly presents at industry conferences and professional forums in the United States and internationally. His insights have been featured in leading publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Bloomberg, and the Chicago Tribune.
Akerman has long advised private clients, family offices, family-owned enterprises, fiduciaries, and closely held investment vehicles on the sophisticated legal and business issues that accompany multigenerational wealth. Drawing on the firm's nationally recognized capabilities across tax, trusts and estates, corporate, real estate, finance, litigation, international, executive compensation, and regulatory matters, the Family Office Practice provides coordinated, relationship-driven counsel that helps families navigate complex decisions involving governance, succession, investment structures, and cross-border planning while supporting the long-term stewardship of their businesses, assets, and legacies.
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About Akerman
Founded in 1920, Akerman is an Am Law 100 firm recognized by Vault among the nation's most prestigious law firms. The firm has more than 700 lawyers and business professionals throughout the United States.
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Original text here: https://www.akerman.com/en/firm/newsroom/citi-private-banks-former-global-head-of-family-office-wealth-advisory-adam-von-poblitz-joins-akerman.html
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Ben Jarrard, Former Chief of Staff to Georgia Senate Majority Leader, Joins Dentons
WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Dentons US, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ben Jarrard, Former Chief of Staff to Georgia Senate Majority Leader, Joins Dentons
Dentons US is pleased to announce that Ben Jarrard, former Chief of Staff to Georgia Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, has joined the Firm's Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs practice as a Senior Policy Director in Atlanta.
Jarrard brings more than a decade of experience spanning government, public policy, economic development and strategic communications. As Chief of Staff to Georgia Senate Majority Leader
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Dentons US, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ben Jarrard, Former Chief of Staff to Georgia Senate Majority Leader, Joins Dentons
Dentons US is pleased to announce that Ben Jarrard, former Chief of Staff to Georgia Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, has joined the Firm's Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs practice as a Senior Policy Director in Atlanta.
Jarrard brings more than a decade of experience spanning government, public policy, economic development and strategic communications. As Chief of Staff to Georgia Senate Majority LeaderJason Anavitarte, he advised Senate leadership on legislative priorities, stakeholder engagement and communications strategy while helping advance the policy agenda of the Senate Majority Caucus. He previously served as Chief of Staff to former Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch and managed the congressional campaign of former Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan.
Prior to his service in the Georgia Senate, Jarrard was Executive Director of Government Relations and Economic Development at the University of North Georgia, where he served as the institution's chief government affairs strategist and helped secure more than $80 million in state investment for major capital projects and workforce development initiatives. Earlier in his career, he served in the administration of Governor Nathan Deal, including as Policy Advisor overseeing transportation, economic development and natural resources issues.
"Ben is widely recognized as a trusted advisor, strategic thinker and effective communicator whose experience spans every level of Georgia government and public policy," said Eric Tanenblatt, Global Chair of Dentons' Public Policy and Regulation practice. "From the Governor's Office to Senate leadership and higher education, he has built a reputation for helping shape policy, advance strategic priorities and bring together diverse stakeholders to achieve results. Ben's experience at the intersection of government, policy and economic development will further strengthen our public policy platform and help clients navigate an increasingly complex legislative and regulatory environment."
At Dentons, Jarrard will work closely with the Firm's Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs team and its Georgia-based professionals, including Sam Olens, Thurbert Baker, Stephen Lawson, Megan Mercer, Falak Sabbak and Walker Boothe. His addition enhances the team's ability to help clients engage with policymakers, monitor legislative and regulatory developments and advance strategic business objectives in Georgia and across the country.
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About Dentons
Redefining possibilities. Together, everywhere. For more information visit dentons.com
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Original text here: https://www.dentons.com/en/about-dentons/news-events-and-awards/news/2026/july/ben-jarrard-former-chief-of-staff-to-georgia-senate-majority-leader-joins-dentons
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Akerman Represents Graycliff Partners in Acquisition of Vinyl Kraft
MIAMI, Florida, July 17 -- Akerman, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Akerman Represents Graycliff Partners in Acquisition of Vinyl Kraft
Akerman represented Vytex, a portfolio company of private equity firm Graycliff Partners, in the acquisition of Vinyl Kraft. Headquartered in Laurel, Md., Vytex manufactures vinyl windows and doors for the residential replacement and remodeling market.
Founded in 1991 and headquartered in New Boston, Ohio, Vinyl Kraft serves the residential replacement and remodeling market through both dealer-direct and traditional distribution channels
... Show Full Article
MIAMI, Florida, July 17 -- Akerman, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Akerman Represents Graycliff Partners in Acquisition of Vinyl Kraft
Akerman represented Vytex, a portfolio company of private equity firm Graycliff Partners, in the acquisition of Vinyl Kraft. Headquartered in Laurel, Md., Vytex manufactures vinyl windows and doors for the residential replacement and remodeling market.
Founded in 1991 and headquartered in New Boston, Ohio, Vinyl Kraft serves the residential replacement and remodeling market through both dealer-direct and traditional distribution channelsacross the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Northeast, producing more than 100,000 windows and doors annually. The acquisition expands Vytex's manufacturing footprint and strengthens Graycliff's platform in the residential window and door market.
The Akerman team representing Graycliff was led by M&A and Private Equity Practice Co-Chair William A. Hoy and Corporate Partner Matthew L. Raby, and included key support across the firm's national platform from:
* Thomas J. Kearney, Chair, Data Privacy and Security Practice
* Gary D. Blachman, Partner, Tax Practice Group
* Peter A. Chiabotti, Partner, Intellectual Property Practice Group
* Erika S. Labelle, Partner, Tax Practice Group
* Felicia Leborgne Nowels, Partner, Government Strategies Practice Group
* Scott T. Silverman, Partner, Labor and Employment Practice Group
* Sarah Campbell Smith, Partner, Environment and Natural Resources Practice
* Amanda L. Joynt, Associate, Corporate Practice Group
* Santiago Lopez, Associate, Real Estate Practice Group
* Dominique M. Pierre, Associate, Corporate Practice Group
* Amanda P. Weinick, Associate, Tax Practice Group
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About Akerman
Founded in 1920, Akerman is an Am Law 100 firm recognized by Vault among the nation's most prestigious law firms. The firm has more than 700 lawyers and business professionals throughout the United States.
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URL: Vytex
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Original text here: https://www.akerman.com/en/firm/newsroom/akerman-represents-graycliff-partners-in-acquisition-of-vinyl-kraft.html
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
A&O Shearman Profits Rise 14% as Firm Sharpens Its Focus
LONDON, England, July 17 -- A and O Shearman, a law firm, issued the following news on July 16, 2026:
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A&O Shearman profits rise 14% as firm sharpens its focus
A&O Shearman today announced profit before tax of USD1.6 billion, up 14%, and profit per equity partner (PEP) of USD2.9 million, up 12%, for the financial year ended April 30, 2026. Revenue was USD3.7 billion, in line with the prior year in U.S. dollar terms, with revenue per partner up 11.3%.
Two years on from the merger, the firm is more profitable, more focused, and advising on a greater share of its clients' most significant
... Show Full Article
LONDON, England, July 17 -- A and O Shearman, a law firm, issued the following news on July 16, 2026:
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A&O Shearman profits rise 14% as firm sharpens its focus
A&O Shearman today announced profit before tax of USD1.6 billion, up 14%, and profit per equity partner (PEP) of USD2.9 million, up 12%, for the financial year ended April 30, 2026. Revenue was USD3.7 billion, in line with the prior year in U.S. dollar terms, with revenue per partner up 11.3%.
Two years on from the merger, the firm is more profitable, more focused, and advising on a greater share of its clients' most significantmatters.
FY26 headline figures
* Profit before tax: USD1.6bn (GBP1.2bn)
* Profit per equity partner: USD2.9m (GBP2.2m)
* Revenue: USD3.7bn (GBP2.8bn)
Results are reported in U.S. dollars with percentage changes stated in U.S. dollar terms. The firm's statutory accounts are prepared in sterling. In sterling, revenue was GBP2.8bn compared with GBP2.9bn in the prior year, while profit before tax, PEP, and revenue per partner increased in both currencies.
A nimbler, more profitable firm
The results reflect a period of deliberate reshaping--choices about where the firm invests and the work it focuses on. Revenue mix continued to shift toward complex, cross-border matters where the firm's proposition is most relevant--transformational transactions and financings, major disputes, emerging regulatory issues, and AI-enabled services--increasing profitability. The results are consistent with that recalibration: a nimbler and differently shaped firm.
A&O Shearman continued to strengthen the partnership, promoting 33 lawyers to partner and adding 24 strategic lateral hires across its priority sectors and markets.
"We set out to build a firm that wins on the unique strength of its global platform and a culture of excellence. These results show our strategy taking hold," said Herve Ekue, A&O Shearman's global managing partner. "Clients are entrusting us with more of their most important and complex mandates. Combined with the way we have streamlined our operation, our profitability has grown significantly. We are a more profitable firm, with a stronger base for sustainable growth."
Sector strength
The firm's strategy is sector-led, and its priority sectors drove some of the year's most standout mandates. In life sciences, the firm advised Genmab on its USD8bn acquisition of Merus (and its subsequent USD6bn bank/bond refinancing), and Boston Scientific on its proposed USD15bn acquisition of Penumbra. In technology, it acted for Texas Instruments on its USD7.5bn acquisition of Silicon Labs. In private capital, it advised Partners Group on the acquisition of Techem and the arrangers on InPost's EUR7.8bn take-private financing. In consumer, it advised JDE Peet's on the EUR15.7bn recommended public offer by Keurig Dr Pepper. In energy, it advised Sizewell C on its supply chain and contracting strategy for a GBP38bn nuclear project.
In disputes, the firm secured a landmark settlement for UBS ending a 14-year litigation in France and represented Reflex Media and Clover8 Investments in a major trademark infringement jury trial win against SuccessfulMatch.com.
AI leadership
A&O Shearman's leadership in AI is grounded in firmwide adoption--bringing together legal expertise, technology capability, and process discipline to deliver advice with greater speed and precision, while preserving the judgment clients expect. Its lawyers are working more efficiently, with more of their time focused on the work where their experience matters most.
The firm is deepening the integration of AI across how it delivers work--embedding its legal expertise into AI systems, and those systems into how its lawyers work, to keep improving client outcomes.
"We see great opportunity ahead, in the sectors and markets where demand for our offering is strongest, and through the continued investment in our people and technology," added Ekue.
Social impact--commitment to pro bono, fundraising, and inclusion
Beyond its client work, the firm maintained its commitment to pro bono, social impact, and inclusion. In FY26, A&O Shearman worked across 900 pro bono matters globally and donated a combined USD5.2m (GBP3.9m) to charitable causes, including USD2.8m (GBP2.1m) contributed via the A&O Shearman Foundation.
The firm is now ten months into its two-year global social impact partnership with United for Global Mental Health. Fundraising is well underway through campaigns linked to First Hour, First Day and International Women's Day, and the firm's pro bono support for the nonprofit has contributed to policy change and a renewed focus on suicide prevention efforts in four countries, with a combined population of 129m.
The firm was once again named as one of the top ten best-performing private companies in the FTSE Women Leaders Review and was rated in the top 100 of the Corporate Equality Index as a leader in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
[Reporting period: May 1, 2025-April 30, 2026]
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Original text here: https://www.aoshearman.com/en/news/ao-shearman-profits-rise-14-as-firm-sharpens-its-focus
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
