Bill and Melinda Gates have hired big-wig lawyers — with ties to Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffet, and others — as the couple prepares their divorce proceedings, according to reports.
The two, who announced on Twitter that they will be getting divorced after 27 years together, hired the teams of high profile lawyers to handle the divorce, as verified in primary source documents obtained by TMZ.
The papers, filed by Melinda Gates at King County superior court in Seattle, said that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.”
Bill Gates hires firm with ties to Warren Buffett
Bill Gates — the world’s fourth-richest person — will be represented by three firms, with perhaps the most well known being Munger, Tolles & Olson.
The firm’s founder, Charles Munger, is considered Warren Buffett’s right-hand man, the New York Post reported. Bill Gates was on the board of Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway holding company until last year, of which Munger is vice chairman, according to the report.
Munger, Tolles & Olson was founded in 1962. Munger and Buffet are considered close friends after meeting in 1959.
Bill Gates will use Ronald Olson from the firm, whose clientele includes Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and Sergey Brin, Reuters reported.
In addition, Robert Denham and Eric Tuttle — both Munger partners — will also represent Bill Gates, in addition to Wendy Goffe and Ted Billbe.
Billbe represented MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, in the 2019 divorce.
Melinda Gates hires Jeff Bezos’ attorney
In Melinda Gates’ corner stand a team of power lawyers who have represented Bezos, the National Football League, and others.
In court filings, Sherri Anderson — who represented Bezos in his multi-billion dollar divorce — will represent Melinda Gates.
Bruce Birenboim, partner at the Paul, Weiss law firm, has been tapped to represent her; his client list includes Citigroup and the NFL, according to the report.
Melinda Gates has also teamed up with Loretta Ippolito, an estate-planning lawyer, and attorneys from Cohen Clair Lans Greifer Thorpe & Rottenstreich.
On Monday, Bill and Melinda Gates released a joint statement on Twitter announcing the decision to end their marriage.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” they said.
“Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.
“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phrase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life.”
The couple married on January 1, 1994, in Lanai, Hawaii. They began dating in 1987.
The divorce documents obtained by TMZ state there is no prenup. The Gates’ net worth is estimated at more than $130 billion.
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