Law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced on Monday that it has hired William Jay to lead its Supreme Court and appellate litigation practice. Jay, who will be a partner based in Washington, D.C., fills a vacancy created by the departure of the group's previous head earlier this year.
The leadership change follows the exit of Kannon Shanmugam, who left Paul Weiss in April to establish a new practice at the law firm Davis Polk. Shanmugam departed alongside Masha Hansford, according to firm reports.
Jay joins Paul Weiss after 14 years at the law firm Goodwin. His professional background includes serving as an assistant to the Solicitor General and working as a clerk for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Jay has argued 19 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and has represented clients such as Teva Pharmaceuticals, Varsity Brands, and B&B Hardware.
The hire is part of a broader expansion of the New York-based firm's litigation department. Other recent additions include Antonia Apps, a former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission deputy enforcement director who joined in February. The firm has also experienced departures, including two litigation partners who moved to Linklaters in July.
The scale of this appointment involves a practitioner who has appeared before the nation's highest court 19 times, a significant volume for the legal industry. In the broader market for elite legal services, these moves demonstrate the ongoing competition for specialized talent between top-tier firms. The recruitment of Jay follows a period of personnel movement at Paul Weiss, which has seen both new hires from federal agencies and departures to international competitors like Linklaters.
For the legal industry and future policy, these personnel shifts can influence which firms are selected to handle precedent-setting cases that affect federal regulations and corporate law. William Jay officially joined the firm on Monday, August 24, 2026. This appointment settles the leadership of the firm's appellate group following the vacancy that began in April 2026.