AI-first law firm Crosby makes bid for assets of collapsing Weil Gotshal
Two-year-old AI law startup Crosby has offered to purchase Weil Gotshal’s brand and data as the historic firm moves toward dissolution.
Crosby, an artificial-intelligence driven law firm founded only two years ago, has submitted a bid to acquire select assets of Weil Gotshal & Manges, the once-prestigious white-shoe firm that is now preparing to dissolve. The move places a Silicon Valley-born legal startup at the center of a story that could reshape how large-scale legal services are delivered.
The offer, confirmed by TechCrunch, includes Weil Gotshal’s trademark, brand name and unspecified internal data. In addition, Crosby is reportedly seeking to hire a portion of the firm’s 1,200 lawyers. Weil Gotshal told the New York Times that a vote on dissolution will take place in the coming days after its presumed heir to leadership declined the role, several top-producing attorneys departed, and a planned merger with rival Willkie Farr & Gallagher fell through.
Crosby positions itself as a fully integrated law firm that embeds its own AI technology into every client interaction. Rather than licensing its AI tools to established firms such as Harvey or Legora, the startup uses the technology to provide legal advice at a speed it claims has never been seen before. The company emerged from stealth in 2025 with a seed round of $5.8 million and has since raised roughly $85 million in total funding. A $60 million Series B round closed in March, led by Lux and Index, with participation from Sequoia (the seed lead), entrepreneur investor Elad Gil, 01 Advisors and Bain Capital Ventures.
While no direct link has been drawn between the rise of legal AI and Weil Gotshal’s collapse, the bid underscores a broader shift in the legal market. Traditional firms are confronting pressures from talent attrition, failed merger attempts and leadership vacuums, while AI-first entrants argue that technology can deliver faster, more cost-effective services. Crosby’s willingness to acquire a legacy brand suggests it sees value in combining established reputation with its AI platform.
The terms of Crosby’s proposal have not been disclosed, and there is no certainty that the bid will be accepted or that the acquisition will close. Should the deal proceed, the integration of an AI-centric model with Weil Gotshal’s historic brand could create a new template for law firm operations. For founders and investors, the episode highlights both the vulnerability of long-standing professional services firms and the growing appetite for technology-driven alternatives. The outcome will likely influence whether other AI-focused startups pursue similar acquisitions or continue building from the ground up.