King & Spalding Poaches WilmerHale’s Top Arbitration Team: Key Moves & Expansions

Gary Born and seven other partners from WilmerHale joined King & Spalding on June 16, 2026, to expand the firm’s international arbitration practice. According to Law.com and Global Arbitration Review, this move transfers a heavyweight disputes team to King & Spalding, specifically strengthening the firm’s growth in the London market.

The transition involves a significant shift of legal talent between two major firms. Law.com reports that King & Spalding acquired an eight-partner arbitration team from WilmerHale. While other outlets like Non-Billable and The Lawyer describe the move as a multi-partner transition or a raid, Law.com provides the specific figure of eight partners.

How many partners moved from WilmerHale to King & Spalding?

Eight partners moved from WilmerHale to King & Spalding, according to reporting from Law.com. This group is led by Gary Born, who joins the firm as a partner, as confirmed by Bar and Bench.

The move is characterized by The Lawyer as a raid for a heavyweight disputes team. This indicates that the departing partners hold significant seniority and specialization in high-stakes international arbitration.

Why is Gary Born’s move significant for international arbitration?

Gary Born is recognized as a leading figure in global disputes. His move to King & Spalding signals a strategic effort by the firm to capture a larger share of the international arbitration market. By absorbing Born’s team, King & Spalding doesn’t just add headcount; it acquires a specialized practice with a known track record in complex disputes.

The Lawyer’s use of the term heavyweight to describe the team suggests that the move may impact the competitive standing of WilmerHale’s arbitration practice, as it loses a core group of experienced partners simultaneously.

How does this fit into King & Spalding’s London strategy?

The acquisition of the WilmerHale team is part of a broader effort to scale operations in the United Kingdom. According to Non-Billable, the addition of these partners continues King & Spalding’s expansion in London.

London serves as a primary hub for international arbitration. By placing a multi-partner team in this region, King & Spalding is positioning itself to handle more cross-border disputes and compete more aggressively with other global firms headquartered or operating in the city.

The firm’s strategy focuses on these specific areas:

• Increasing the volume of international arbitration mandates.
• Expanding the partner-level expertise available in the London office.
• Reducing reliance on smaller, fragmented teams by integrating a cohesive eight-partner unit.

This move follows a pattern of targeted lateral hiring to build specialized practices quickly rather than growing them organically over several years.