Suril Patel, a former partner at Allen & Overy, has recently joined elite firm Kirkland & Ellis as VP of Partnerships. This move follows that of Gordon Moodie, who was previously a partner at Wachtell Lipton before joining genAI pioneer Harvey, and then leaving to join Debevoise & Plimpton last month. Both Patel and Moodie joined Harvey in June 2023, during the height of genAI fever, and have now moved on to other top firms where they can earn high salaries.

The reason for these moves is not clear, but it is possible that Patel and Moodie were attracted to the excitement and potential financial gain of working for a startup like Harvey. This speculation is supported by the fact that their move to Harvey coincided with Thomson Reuters’ acquisition of Casetext for $650 million and the influx of money into the AI field. However, neither Patel nor Moodie have commented on their reasons for leaving Harvey.

In Patel’s case, he will be a partner in Kirkland & Ellis’s Debt Finance Group and expressed his excitement about bringing the firm’s structured finance platform to London. The firm also mentioned his previous work at Harvey in their announcement. Similarly, Debevoise’s announcement of Moodie’s new role as an M&A lawyer focused on AI company deals, but did not mention Harvey by name. Instead, it highlighted his recent experience leading product development at an AI company backed by OpenAI.

While it is possible that money played a role in these moves, it is also possible that other factors, such as career growth and new opportunities, were also important. Regardless of the reasons, both Patel and Moodie have made significant career moves and will continue to contribute to the development of AI in the legal world.