The legal industry is witnessing a powerful start to a new chapter as McDermott Will & Schulte, the recently merged firm uniting McDermott Will & Emery and Schulte Roth & Zabel, announces its first major partner promotions. The newly combined BigLaw powerhouse has elevated 74 attorneys to partner and 13 to counsel, marking the firm’s most expansive promotions class in its history.
This milestone comes just months after the merger officially took effect on August 1, 2025, creating a firm with more than 1,750 lawyers across over 20 offices worldwide. The union blends McDermott’s extensive global reach and diverse practice strengths with Schulte’s deep roots in private capital, hedge funds, and financial services.
Building Momentum After a Landmark Merger
The merger, approved by partners in mid-2025, positioned McDermott Will & Schulte as one of the largest U.S.-based firms by headcount and revenue potential. Beyond size, however, firm leaders have emphasized strategy and synergy—bringing together two highly profitable, complementary platforms to better serve institutional and private capital clients across multiple industries.
This year’s record-breaking partner class signals that integration is well underway and that the firm is focused on growth through talent development. According to internal announcements, the promotions reflect “strength-on-strength”—a deliberate emphasis on uniting the most promising lawyers from both legacy firms and recognizing their contributions to client service, innovation, and collaboration.
By the Numbers: A Record-Breaking Class
The scale of McDermott Will & Schulte’s promotions stands out even in an era of large BigLaw mergers. The 74 new partners and 13 new counsel were drawn from 17 cities and five countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy.
The promotions touch virtually every major practice area—private credit, tax, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory work, investment funds, and litigation—demonstrating the firm’s commitment to balanced growth across its global footprint.
For comparison, McDermott Will & Emery’s final standalone promotions in 2024 included just 54 new partners, while Schulte Roth & Zabel traditionally elevated far fewer. The merged firm’s 2025 class represents a 32% increase over the combined total from the previous year, signaling a major investment in the next generation of leadership.
Strategic Vision: Growth Through Integration
Firm co-chairs emphasized that the size and diversity of the new partner class reflect the firm’s long-term goals: expanding its global presence, deepening private capital expertise, and enhancing service capabilities in high-demand practice areas.
The merger allows the new entity to compete more aggressively with global giants such as Latham & Watkins, Kirkland & Ellis, and Skadden Arps—firms that have consistently dominated the market in cross-border transactions and fund formation.
The firm is also expected to focus heavily on investment management, regulatory compliance, and tax structuring, areas where both legacy firms already enjoyed strong reputations. With expanded teams and new partners in key financial centers like New York, London, Frankfurt, and Paris, the firm is setting itself up to compete for complex global mandates.
A Signal to the Legal Industry
McDermott Will & Schulte’s move sends a clear message to the broader legal market: BigLaw mergers can succeed not just through expansion but through active investment in internal talent.
Large promotion rounds are often viewed as confidence indicators—reflecting both financial health and a stable culture after integration. In this case, the firm’s record partner class suggests smooth cultural alignment and strong performance in its first months as a combined entity.
By elevating dozens of lawyers from both predecessor firms, leadership has reinforced a sense of inclusion and momentum within its ranks. This approach helps mitigate one of the biggest risks of large-scale mergers: talent attrition during the post-merger adjustment period.
Industry analysts note that the new partner class is a strategic gesture as much as a reward—it communicates stability to clients, confidence to recruits, and optimism to competitors watching closely.
The Broader Context: BigLaw’s Consolidation Era
The McDermott-Schulte merger is part of a broader trend of consolidation within the legal sector. As clients demand more cross-border, multidisciplinary service, mid-sized and specialized firms are merging to build scale, while global players are expanding through lateral hiring and strategic alliances.
This consolidation trend has reshaped the competitive landscape of BigLaw, with more firms targeting the top 20 by revenue through mergers or high-value lateral integrations.
McDermott Will & Schulte’s example could inspire similar moves in the near future, as firms look for ways to enhance profitability, share technology infrastructure, and diversify client bases.
What Comes Next
The next year will be a critical proving ground for McDermott Will & Schulte. The firm will need to demonstrate that its expanded footprint translates into tangible growth, not just in revenue but in client satisfaction and attorney retention.
Observers will be watching to see how effectively the firm integrates operations, aligns compensation systems, and maintains consistent culture across its newly combined offices.
For now, the firm’s massive partner class offers a strong early indicator that the merger is off to a promising start—anchored by confidence, collaboration, and investment in homegrown talent.
Conclusion
For the legal industry, McDermott Will & Schulte’s announcement marks more than a ceremonial milestone—it represents a blueprint for how modern BigLaw firms can merge successfully while preserving culture and momentum. By promoting from within at record levels, the firm signals that its growth will be powered not only by merger economics but by the people behind it.
As McDermott Will & Schulte moves forward, its message is clear: the new era of BigLaw isn’t just about size—it’s about vision, integration, and investing in the next generation of leaders.
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