Had the Watchtell Lovers Waited Until One Lateraled to Gibson Dunn ...

 Thanks to FT and media such as Abovethelaw which ran with the story, we know that Wachtell partner Nathaniel Cullerton was slated to lateral to Gibson Dunn. He would join the pack of litigators exiting to with William Savitt.

However, after being videoed on a park bench kissing with great passion Wachtell subordinate Kelsey Borenzweig that opportunity went poof. 

This snippet of information might change the harsh opinion of Cullerton as having no judgment. 

We could indeed reframe the situation as involving clever lawyer planning: How about being able to conduct a discrete affair with Borenzweig, given that they would be at different firms and no reporting relationship would be involved. Sure, he would still be married but that happens all the time in large elite law firms. Many partners do wind up divorcing and marrying associates. 

Removed as an obstacle would be that she reported to him, as was the reality at Wachtell. In all reputable organizations that potential abuse of power is a no-no. On pragmatic grounds it can eventually trigger lawsuits for alleged sexual harassment. 

Had Cullerton just waited until the lateraling was a done deal he could have had everything. Yesyesyes. The plum job  (we assume he was going to be paid more) and the girl. Such a golden boy.

But he didn't wait. 

According to those in the loop he not only lost out on the Gibson Dunn opportunity. He also, it is reported by trusted sources, has been put on a leave of absence while an investigation takes place. Given that he already had one foot out the door the expectation is that the folks at Wachtell might not be generous in their treatment of Cullerton.

The question in a profession driven by outsized ambition is this: Is Cullerton finished? Some conclude that's the reality. Wherever he goes he would be the butt of the office with kissyface jokes. Will the analogue of Sam Altman whom he represented previously want his mug in court?  

My my. Our mentors were so right. Timing is everything. Cullerton got his wrong. In coaching I warn never to be premature in taking action. 

Careers. Forget all that. It’s about earning a good living, no matter what.

Complimentary consultation with Jane Genova, StreetSmart Coaching (janegenova374@gmail.com)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wachtell Partner Romancing Associate in Central Park: Let's Talk About Power

  Would red-haired 40-something Nathaniel Cullerton be so appealing to a 20-something if he hadn't been a partner in an elite law firm and she was an underling at that firm?  That's what most of the coverage of the kissing incident in Central Park by the two Wachtell lawyers doesn't touch. Here is the video by Tik Toker Jay Guapo of their romantic break in the day. It was foreign-policy expert Henry Kissinger who observed: "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac."  Since then, organizations have recognized how that reality can create major problems in the workplace. Typically, those take the form of a manager type engaging in an intimate relationship with a subordinate or at least a person with less status. Another issue is that such arrangements can breed favoritism. The subordinate gets goodies others don't. The rest of the organization seethes in resentment.  In addition, it can also trigger penalties for "non-compliance." The subordinate resists th...
Read more

America Not Hiring in 2026: Back to Golden Age of Solopreneurs?

 For hiring, 2025 was a brutal year to search for a job. The Wall Street Journal reports that 2026 could be worse: "At a gathering of CEOs in Midtown Manhattan this month organized by the Yale School of Management, 66% of leaders surveyed said they planned to either fire workers or maintain the size of their existing teams next year. Only a third indicated they planned to hire." The WSJ adds that pullback from adding manpower could be temporary. But given shareholders' demand for cost-efficiency and the continual improvements in AI, chronic unemployment could become standard. However, there is a solution. An old-fashioned one. That's becoming a solopreneur, that is setting up your own business without partners or employees. The model dates back to ancient times.  The golden age of the solo business owner in America had been from the late 1800s to about the mid 1920s.  There had been a wave of immigrants, discrimination against them and few jobs. They drove pushcarts ...
Read more

An Equity Partner in Big Law, But Not a Star: Expect a Pay Cut This Year

It's nothing new. Law firms chase star talent and pay premium compensation for those twinklers. Way back in 2021, Paul, Weiss' Brad Karp hammered in Bloomberg Law  the critical importance of that star power. Law firms which don't have the financial resources to recruit, hold and motivate them could stop growing, going out of business.  What is new are these current realities: the current frenzy of the chase and annual compensation reaching $40 million.  Well, equity partners who aren't stars will help pay for that payout. Law.com  predicts haircuts for some of them this year. There always had been a caste system in Big Law, a niche in which prestige is an embedded value. Never were all equity partners equal. It had been standard to de-equitize those not cutting it or even force them out. A strategy of shaming usually was effective to get them to exit.  Now, it's more brutal. Already the number of equity partners is being reduced. That's to ensure top dollar fo...
Read more