Weil reportedly pays up to $20M after hackers steal client data

- Weil, Gotshal & Manges (Weil) is a prestigious global law firm headquartered in New York, part of the "white-shoe" elite that handles high-stakes corporate M&A, private equity, and litigation for the world's largest companies. - The article reports that Weil paid a ransom of up to $20 million after hackers stole sensitive client data — a significant sum even for a ransomware incident, reflecting the extreme sensitivity of law firm data (merger plans, trade secrets, litigation strategy). - Law firms are increasingly prime targets for cybercriminals because they hold highly confidential data from multiple wealthy clients, creating a "single point of failure" risk. Ransomware attacks on firms like Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks and Mossack Fonseca have previously exposed celebrity and offshore secrets. - Paying ransoms is controversial: the FBI discourages it (funds further crime), but firms face immense pressure to prevent client data from being leaked. Weil's reported payment would be among the largest known law firm ransomware payouts.