Law firms Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher recently took disciplinary and hiring actions following reports of a romantic relationship between a partner and an associate. Wachtell placed a partner on administrative leave after a video of the pair appeared on social media, while Gibson Dunn rescinded a job offer to the same individual, citing a policy that prohibits romantic entanglements between partners and associates.
The incident follows a related report from the New York Post that two litigation partners who recently moved from Wachtell to Gibson Dunn were also in a relationship. However, Gibson Dunn allowed that move to proceed, as the policy involving partner-associate relationships did not apply to the two equal-status partners. Wachtell did not respond to requests for comment regarding the administrative leave.
Human resources experts and legal consultants state that while many law firms tolerate internal relationships, they generally require disclosure to manage potential liabilities. Keith Wetmore, a legal recruiter and former chairman of Morrison & Foerster, noted that firms often attempt to restructure reporting lines to insulate themselves from harassment or retaliation claims. He described office relationships as a "no-win situation" for firms regardless of how they are managed.
The scale of this issue is reflected in the administrative actions taken by firms like Wachtell, which employs hundreds of legal professionals. When a partner is placed on administrative leave, it can disrupt active litigation and deal-making for clients. For the individual lawyers, these policies can mean the end of a tenure at a specific firm; historically, as noted by recruiters, the junior person in the relationship was often the one forced to leave. While modern firms try to balance this by focusing on disclosure, the lack of a uniform industry standard means legal professionals face varying rules depending on their employer's specific handbook.
Beyond individual careers, these policies set a precedent for how the legal industry handles power imbalances following the #MeToo movement. Firms now use "love contracts" and increased harassment training to document that relationships are consensual. However, consultants report that firms may still show leniency toward "rainmakers"—partners who bring in significant revenue—creating an inconsistent application of rules. What happens next depends on individual firm internal reviews; administrative leaves are typically used as a temporary measure while firms determine whether a permanent termination or a return to work is warranted. No specific dates for the conclusion of the Wachtell leave have been reported.