Key Takeaways
- • Willkie Farr & Gallagher has recruited its second Kirkland & Ellis private equity partner within six months, demonstrating sustained poaching of talent from the Chicago-based firm and signaling competitive pressure in the elite legal market.
- • Miroslav Tomo, a Kirkland & Ellis partner, joined Willkie, marking a notable transition that Willkie partner Gavin Gordon personally negotiated—Gordon had previously recruited Tomo from Linklaters to Kirkland when both were at that firm, creating a recurring recruitment pattern.
- • The hiring reflects Willkie's strategic investment in cross-border M&A, private equity, and restructuring capabilities, with the firm using lateral partner moves to build depth in practice areas critical to its institutional client base.
- • Multiple Kirkland partners have departed to competing firms in recent months, including Ryan Bennett (restructuring chair in Chicago) and Allyson Smith (New York), indicating broader talent migration from Kirkland to competitors including Dentons, White & Case, and Cahill.
Summary
Willkie Farr & Gallagher has successfully recruited Kirkland & Ellis partner Miroslav Tomo, marking the firm's second poaching of a Kirkland private equity partner within a six-month window. The hire underscores intensifying competition for elite legal talent and reflects Willkie's deliberate strategy to strengthen its capabilities in cross-border M&A, private equity, and restructuring—practice areas central to its institutional client base.
The recruitment carries particular significance given the personal history involved. Willkie partner Gavin Gordon, who negotiated Tomo's offer, had previously recruited Tomo from Linklaters to Kirkland when Gordon himself was at the latter firm. This recurring pattern illustrates both Gordon's reputation as a talent scout and the fluid nature of lateral moves within the top tier of the legal profession. According to supplemental sources, Gordon recognized the parallel as he conducted negotiations for Tomo's move to Willkie.
Tomo's departure is part of a broader exodus of Kirkland partners to competing firms. Recent months have seen Ryan Bennett join Willkie as restructuring chair in Chicago, and Allyson Smith move to Willkie's New York office. The migration extends beyond Willkie, with other elite competitors including Dentons, Cahill, and White & Case also recruiting from Kirkland, suggesting systemic pressure on the firm's partner retention.
The hires align with Willkie's stated focus on deepening private equity-driven capabilities and cross-border M&A expertise. Since private equity relationships drive a significant portion of Willkie's business, lateral partner additions with established client relationships and sector specialization serve as force multipliers for the firm's market position. This pattern of targeted recruitment indicates that elite firms view partner acquisitions as more efficient than organic practice development for achieving rapid capability expansion in high-value practice areas.
The recruitment carries particular significance given the personal history involved. Willkie partner Gavin Gordon, who negotiated Tomo's offer, had previously recruited Tomo from Linklaters to Kirkland when Gordon himself was at the latter firm. This recurring pattern illustrates both Gordon's reputation as a talent scout and the fluid nature of lateral moves within the top tier of the legal profession. According to supplemental sources, Gordon recognized the parallel as he conducted negotiations for Tomo's move to Willkie.
Tomo's departure is part of a broader exodus of Kirkland partners to competing firms. Recent months have seen Ryan Bennett join Willkie as restructuring chair in Chicago, and Allyson Smith move to Willkie's New York office. The migration extends beyond Willkie, with other elite competitors including Dentons, Cahill, and White & Case also recruiting from Kirkland, suggesting systemic pressure on the firm's partner retention.
The hires align with Willkie's stated focus on deepening private equity-driven capabilities and cross-border M&A expertise. Since private equity relationships drive a significant portion of Willkie's business, lateral partner additions with established client relationships and sector specialization serve as force multipliers for the firm's market position. This pattern of targeted recruitment indicates that elite firms view partner acquisitions as more efficient than organic practice development for achieving rapid capability expansion in high-value practice areas.
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