EY is putting to a partner vote a proposal to shed its audit business and free its consulting divisions—including legal services—of the constraints and conflicts of interest that inhibit their growth. With the new business will come an expansion of the company’s legal services, requiring an even bigger bench of lawyers. In an already fierce talent market, many legal observers warn of the impact such a move will have on talent acquisition.

EY expects the vote to begin on a country-by-country basis later this year and conclude by early 2023. If approved, the plan would reportedly result in seven-figure cash payouts to audit partners and multimillion-dollar share awards to the thousands of partners moving to the advisory business.