Cleary Gottlieb to Promote 31 Lawyers

The promotions to partner and counsel take effect January 1, 2027, following last year's record class.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Business Strategy

Cleary Gottlieb will promote 15 lawyers to partner and 16 to counsel effective January 1, 2027. The firm's worldwide totals will rise to 257 partners and 57 counsel.

Why it matters

The promotions expand the firm's senior ranks across its offices in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. They follow last year's record class of newly promoted senior lawyers.

Nine of the promoted lawyers are based in the New York office, the largest share of the class. The Washington, D.C., California, Brussels, and Paris offices each have three promoted lawyers.

The players

Cleary Gottlieb

Cleary Gottlieb is an international law firm with offices across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Jeff Karpf

Jeff Karpf is the Managing Partner of Cleary Gottlieb, overseeing the firm's management.

The details

The promoted lawyers are spread across 13 offices in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. Promotions take effect January 1, 2027, and the roster is listed by office and practice area.

January 1, 2027: Promotions to partner and counsel take effect.
2026: Last year's record class of senior lawyer promotions occurred.

Market Landscape

This year's class follows last year's record group of newly promoted senior lawyers at Cleary Gottlieb. The firm's expanding senior ranks reflect its continued growth across its international offices.

For clients working with Cleary Gottlieb, the expanded partner and counsel ranks indicate a larger senior team in place from January 2027. The changes affect who leads matters across the firm's offices rather than any immediate change in service terms.

The takeaway

Growth in senior ranks at major firms often signals sustained demand for their practice areas. Watching how these promotions are distributed across offices can show where a firm is investing most heavily.