Mega tie-up edges closer
Allen & Overy (A&O) and Shearman & Sterling have confirmed the names of the lawyers who will assume the top post-merger leadership roles.
It was confirmed late last week that Khalid Garousha has been elected as senior partner of A&O Shearman and Hervé Ekué has been elected as managing partner.
Abu Dhabi-based lawyer Garousha has been A&O’s interim global managing partner since July 2023 while Ekué currently heads up the Magic Circle player’s Paris office.
Meanwhile, Shearman senior partner Adam Hakki has been appointed co-chair of the global A&O Shearman board and executive committee, as well as chair of the firm’s US business.
Shearman’s global managing partner, Doreen Lilienfeld, will serve as a co-managing partner of the US business.
The appointments will take effect on 1 May with more leadership announcements expected in due course.
A&O and Shearman first went public with their intentions to merge in May 2023, with more than 99% of partners going on to vote in favour of the move. The combination, set to complete in May of this year, will create a new legal giant with 3,950 lawyers, including 800 partners, across 48 offices and approximately £2.8 billion in combined revenues.