AI-First Law Firm Crosby Bids on Assets of Collapsing Weil Gotshal
The unraveling of storied Wall Street law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges has dominated legal industry conversation this week—and now Silicon Valley has entered the fray.
TechCrunch has confirmed that Crosby, a two-year-old AI-first law firm, has submitted a bid to acquire selected assets of Weil Gotshal, including its trademark, brand, and certain unspecified internal data. Separately, Crosby is working to recruit some of the firm's 1,200 lawyers. The Information first reported the offer.
A Prestigious Firm Prepares to Dissolve
Weil Gotshal confirmed to The New York Times this week that it is preparing to vote on dissolution in the coming days. According to the Times, the wind-down follows a series of setbacks: the firm's presumed leadership heir apparent declined the role, a number of its top-producing lawyers departed, and a hoped-for merger with rival Willkie Farr & Gallagher was shelved.
Crosby's AI-Native Approach
Crosby bills itself as the future of law firms. Rather than licensing its internally developed AI technology to established firms like Harvey or Legora, Crosby operates as an actual law firm, using proprietary AI to deliver legal services at a speed the startup says was previously impossible.
The company has raised roughly $85 million to date, including a $60 million Series B round in March 2026 led by Lux and Index, with participation from seed-lead Sequoia, Elad Gil, 01 Advisors, and Bain Capital Ventures. Crosby emerged from stealth in 2025 with $5.8 million in seed funding.
Legal AI and the Industry's Future
While no one has cited the rise of legal AI as a contributing factor in Weil Gotshal's downfall, AI may prove central to the legal industry's future. Terms of the bid were not disclosed, and there is no guarantee Crosby will prevail. But if it does, Weil Gotshal's legacy could rise from the ashes—transformed by an AI-first firm.
via TechCrunch