Before he was helping guide the largest law firm merger in history, Wes Misson ’07 was a first-generation law student at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Misson has built his career by embracing growth, and his journey reflects the power of hard work, curiosity, and an ability to take full advantage of every opportunity.
Misson grew up in Marion, Ohio, and earned degrees in journalism and political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When he chose to attend Moritz, his decision was motivated by the opportunity to return home to his family, as well as the growing reputation of the school. “The ability to go to a great law school that was on the rise sealed the deal for me,” Misson remembers.
While at Moritz, Misson built close relationships with his classmates and thrived in a rigorous academic environment. He took every course available with Dean Alan Michaels and participated in the Oxford Summer Law Program. It was his first summer associate position, though, that helped him see how transactional practice aligned with the kind of lawyer he wanted to become.
“I came out of that experience interested in transactional work, because there wasn't a winner and a loser—everybody was a winner,” he said. “At the end of the day, if you did a great job with a deal, everyone was happy. And if you get to work with the same client repeatedly, you really get to develop that long-term trusted advisor relationship.”
After graduating from law school, Misson relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, and accepted a position with a firm to be a transactional associate with its finance group. When the global financial crisis hit, Misson was just a second-year associate. Determined to keep working within the industry, he leaned into a niche that would become modern fund finance. “I recognized the vision that this area of practice was new and growing, so I just kept working at it,” he says.
Misson’s work ethic propelled him forward at a stunning pace, making partner on his very first year of eligibility at just 32 years old. The following year, he joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft as the youngest partner in the history of Wall Street's oldest law firm. From there, he scaled an extraordinary global business, growing his team from six people to over 100 professionals and taking on increasing responsibilities in management roles. For Misson, these opportunities served as incredible lessons is how to lead people, cultivate trust, and help others succeed.
In 2025, Misson was voted Co-Managing Partner of the entire firm. In this role, he spent several months traveling the world to help guide Cadwalader through its historic merger with Hogan Lovells. The transaction created a massive, AmLaw top five firm with more than 3,100 lawyers, nearly $4 billion in revenue, and operations in all G20 countries with more than 40 offices. Since its launch on July 1, 2026, Misson has served as Global Managing Partner – Finance.
Stepping into high-level firm leadership required Misson to push past his comfort zone and embrace personal growth. “I was naturally an introvert coming up, and I never expected to be in a leadership position,” he reflects. “I never expected to be in a position where I present to hundreds of people or do media interviews, but I fought through that and took on opportunities that I could have easily shied away from.”
Misson’s leadership extends to Moritz as well, having recently been appointed to the Moritz National Council to help advance the college’s mission and strengthen its alumni network.
A willingness to adapt has shaped how Misson views the future of the legal profession. He encourages current and prospective law students to stay informed and embrace change.
“As a law firm leader and somebody who is trying to figure out the direction of travel with the market, it's more difficult today than it's ever been,” he said. “The practice of law, and particularly big law, is changing right in front of us at a rate that we've never seen before. It’s important to understand the business of law and, especially, how AI is going to be applied to what we do.”
Misson also advises students to find a cause that is important to them and give back. For him, this has meant serving on the board of his local Alzheimer’s Association chapter and hosting fundraisers that have brought in over $1 million for critical research.
Finally, he encourages them to trust in their potential, noting that at a school with a soaring national reputation like Moritz, “the sky is the limit.”
“Understand who you are and stay true to your values throughout everything,” he shared. “If you believe in yourself, you can do anything you want to do.”