Lateral moves by city

Reports

• Amsterdam Partner Market 2026: Partners Are a Thin Slice of Hiring

  Partners make 13.5% of lateral moves into Amsterdam firms, 48.7% of the market's partner share and far below London's 29.3%. Three years of moves say the same, and a small circle of large firms does most of the hiring.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Atlanta Associate Hiring 2026: Partners Fall, Associates Hold the City

  Atlanta's lateral count held flat while the market grew and partner hiring fell 25.9%, leaving lawyers below partner to carry the city. Atlanta firms also list fewer openings against their lateral volume than firms in Denver or San Diego.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Atlanta Lateral Partner Market 2026: A Disputes Market That Promotes

  Litigation is where Atlanta partner hiring runs above the market, at an index of 133, and insurance, product liability and construction over-index at every level. Atlanta firms also promote 0.90 partners for each lateral partner they hire, against 0.79 across the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Austin Associate Market 2026: More Postings per Hire Than Texas Peers

  Austin's share of open law-firm roles is 1.1 times its share of lateral moves, while Dallas sits at 0.6 and Houston at 0.7. Associates make up most Austin moves, and litigation leads them.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Austin Lateral Partner Market 2026: Companies and Mid-Size Rivals

  Austin lawyers leave firms for companies at a higher rate than in the market or in Dallas, and firms of 150-399 lawyers take 2.3 times their market share of Austin lateral moves. A partner hire here competes on two fronts at once.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Boston Associate Market 2026: IP and Funds Run Far Above the Market

  Boston lateral hiring over-indexes in intellectual property, at 236, and in funds, at 187, while firms of 150-399 lawyers take 1.8 times their national share of moves. Most of the year's added volume came from below partner.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Boston Lateral Partner Hiring 2026: Top 10 Firms Take 50.0%

  Boston partner hiring runs through a short list of firms: the top 10 hirers took 50.0% of lateral partner arrivals, 1.9 times the New York figure. Intellectual property partners are where that demand is sharpest.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Bristol Lateral Partner Market 2026: London Feeds a Rising City

  Bristol firms fill their benches with lawyers from other cities, London first: 43.1% of 12-month movers into the city also changed city, against 20.5% across the market. Lateral moves into Bristol rose 38.2% on the prior settled year.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Brussels Associate Market 2026: Step-Ups Trail London and the Market

  Associates make 66.9% of Brussels lateral moves, yet only 9.9% of the city's moves come with a step up in title, below both the market and London. Over three years the share is lower still, at 8.7%.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Brussels Lateral Partner Market 2026: An Antitrust City

  Antitrust and competition was involved in 36.4% of Brussels lateral moves over 12 months, an index of 1,260 against the market, where London sits at 128. Firms of 1,000+ lawyers made 74.4% of the hires.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Calgary Partner Market 2026: A Far Larger Mid-Size Share Than Toronto

  Firms of 400-999 lawyers took 60.0% of Calgary lateral moves over 12 months, against 41.2% in Toronto and 23.4% across the market. Hiring sits with a short list of firms, and volume was flat year on year.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Charlotte Associate Market 2026: Associates Make 66.7% of Moves

  Associates make up about two in three lateral moves into Charlotte law firms, 66.7% against 58.5% in the market, the highest share of any city with a larger volume. Charlotte's hiring grew 3.4 times as fast as the market's.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Charlotte Lateral Partner Market 2026: Banking First, Partners Flat

  Charlotte hires lawyers for its banks first: banking and finance runs at an index of 329 against the market. Partners are a thinner slice of that hiring than elsewhere, at 18.5% of moves against 27.7%, and partner hiring held flat (+0.0%).

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Chicago Associate Market 2026: Many Moves, Few Step Up a Title

  Chicago's lateral market runs on associates, and most of them move sideways: associates were 61.6% of moves against 58.5% in the market, yet only 8.4% of Chicago movers stepped up a title, the lowest rate among the busiest US cities.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Chicago Lateral Partner Market 2026: Firms Promote More Than Most

  Lateral partner hiring in Chicago held flat (-2.5%), while the market rose 8.4%. Chicago firms promote 0.94 partners for each lateral partner they hire, against 0.79 nationally: they lean on their own partners more than most markets do.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Cleveland Lateral Partner Market: Counsel Move as Often as Partners

  Counsel made 23.8% of lateral moves into Cleveland over 12 months, 1.9 times the market share and a little more than partners. The three-year record matches, and firms of 150-399 lawyers do far more of the hiring than they do nationally.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Columbus Lateral Partner Market 2026: Big Firms Supply Few Hires

  Columbus rarely recruits out of the largest firms: over three years 19.4% of its lateral hires left a firm of 1,000+ lawyers, against 56.6% in the market and 58.0% in Chicago. Most hires were already in Columbus, and volume was flat.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Dallas Associate Hiring 2026: Finance-Side Practices Over-Index

  Restructuring and capital markets take a larger share of Dallas lateral moves than of the market's, at indexes of 170 and 134. Associates, meanwhile, are 54.2% of moves into the city against 58.5% across the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Dallas Lateral Partner Market 2026: Partners Lead the City's Growth

  Dallas partner hiring grew 4.8 times as fast as the market's and faster than the city's own hiring at all levels. The expansion is being led from the partner ranks.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Denver Associate Market 2026: Construction at 2.6 Times Its Share

  Construction is involved in Denver lateral moves at 2.6 times its national share, and the city's slice of open roles on law-firm career pages runs slightly ahead of its slice of moves.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Denver Lateral Partner Market 2026: Firms of 400-999 Lawyers Hire More

  Firms of 400-999 lawyers take 1.6 times their national share of Denver lateral moves, and the city draws more lawyers from other cities than it sends: 43 in, 25 out.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Detroit Partner Market 2026: More City-Changers Than Its Midwest Peers

  Lateral movers into Detroit change city far more often than in its Midwest neighbors: 51.4% arrived from another city over 12 months, against 15.7% in Chicago and 14.3% in Cleveland. Over three years only 37.2% of hires came from another Detroit firm, and litigation runs at an index of 141 against the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Dubai Associate Market 2026: Finance and Building Work Over-Index

  Associates are 62.0% of Dubai lateral moves, and those moves lean to finance and building work: banking and finance indexes at 186, above London, and over three years construction and projects ran at 2.0 and 3.1 times their market shares. Litigation sits below the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Dubai Lateral Partner Market 2026: Seniority Bought on Arrival

  Dubai firms give a step up in title more often than London or the wider market, and they recruit from other cities far more often, with London first, though most hires still come from inside Dubai. The city buys seniority by promoting on arrival.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Employment Law in 28.6% of Portland Moves Over 3 Years, Above Seattle

  Employment law runs through 28.6% of Portland lateral moves over 3 years, 2.6 times its market share and above Seattle and Denver. Counsel take a far larger slice of hiring than elsewhere, and volume is flat.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Frankfurt Associate Market 2026: A Closed Circle of Large Firms

  Frankfurt associates move inside one circle of large firms: over three years 78.6% of arrivals left a firm of 1,000+ lawyers and 78.3% joined one, against 56.6% and 52.5% across the market. Fewer movers gain a title on the way: 8.9%, against 12.9%.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Frankfurt Partner Market 2026: A Deal City With Few Partner Moves

  Frankfurt hires for deals: private equity and corporate work over-index well beyond London, and corporate touched 34.0% of moves over three years. Partners are a thinner slice than in the market, and the largest firms take most of the hiring.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Hong Kong Associate Market 2026: Built on Capital Markets Hiring

  Capital markets runs at an index of 534 in Hong Kong lateral hiring, against 118 in London, and touched 19.5% of moves over three years against 4.1% market-wide. Associate hiring in the city follows equity and debt issuance.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Hong Kong Lateral Partner Market 2026: A City That Hires From Outside

  Hong Kong fills its law-firm seats from other cities: 76.9% of lateral moves into the city involved a relocation, 3.8 times the market rate. Capital markets work carries 5.4 times its market share of moves.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Houston Associate Market 2026: Lateral Hiring Up 51.1%

  Lateral hiring into Houston firms rose 51.1% year on year, 5.7 times the market's rate. Associates carry most of that volume, and construction work runs at 2.2 times its market share.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Houston Lateral Partner Hiring 2026: Deal Work Sets the Pace

  Houston partner hiring follows deal work. Corporate partners over-index at 128 while litigation partners sit near the market at 96; in Dallas, litigation over-indexes too.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Leeds Lateral Partners 2026: A Larger Share Than Manchester or London

  More than a third of Leeds lateral moves were partner moves over 12 months, 35.3% against 27.7% across the market, while overall volume held flat. Firms of 400-999 lawyers took the largest share of the hiring.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• London Associate Market 2026: Banking and Funds Over-Index

  Associates are 60.4% of London lateral moves, and those moves lean to finance: banking runs at an index of 178 against the market, funds at 164. Firms of 1,000+ lawyers take 68.5% of them.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• London Lateral Partner Hiring 2026: A Sydney Pipeline, Flat Demand

  London's lateral arrivals come from Sydney, New York, Dublin, Auckland and Melbourne, a feeder map no American city shares. Partner hiring itself was flat at +1.3%, and banking took 25.1% of partner hires against 15.5% across the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Los Angeles Associate Market 2026: Smaller Firms, Few In-House Exits

  Los Angeles lateral hiring runs through mid-size and smaller firms more than the market does: firms of 1,000+ lawyers took 47.0% of moves against 53.6%. And Los Angeles lawyers rarely leave for companies: 7.5 per hundred lateral moves, against 13.1 across the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Los Angeles Partner Hiring 2026: An Employment and Litigation Market

  Los Angeles hires employment partners at an index of 231 and litigation partners at 145 against the market, while corporate (74) and banking (75) run below it. Firms here buy partners more than they promote them.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Manchester Associate Market 2026: Real Estate Over-Indexes

  Real estate is involved in Manchester lateral moves at an index of 186 against the market, well above London's 109, and it holds 24 of the city's 188 open roles. Set against its lateral volume, Manchester lists far more openings than London.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Manchester Lateral Partner Market 2026: Nearly as Many Made as Bought

  Manchester firms make about one partner from within for each partner they hire from outside, a ratio of 0.88 against 0.64 in London and 0.79 across the market. The hiring itself runs through firms of 400-999 lawyers, which took 56.8% of Manchester lateral moves.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Miami Associate Hiring 2026: An Insurance-Defense Lateral Market

  Miami lateral hiring leans on defense work: product liability is involved in moves at 2.9 times its market share, and insurance close behind. Few Miami lawyers leave for companies, so the associates a firm wants sit at other firms.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Miami Lateral Partner Market 2026: Lateral Hiring Runs on Relocation

  Miami fills its benches from other cities: 66 lawyers arrived from elsewhere in 12 months and 37 left, with New York the largest single source. Lateral partner hiring rose on top of that inflow.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Milan Associate Market 2026: A Narrow Field of Hiring Firms

  A short list of international firms takes most lateral hires in Milan, a tighter grip than in Paris or London. Deal work comes second: private equity runs at an index of 235 against the market, above London at 144 and Paris at 217.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Milan Lateral Partner Market 2026: Fewer Moves, a Home-Grown Pool

  Milan lateral hiring fell 24.5% between the settled 12-month windows while the market rose 9.0%, a steeper drop than in Paris, while London held level. Partner hiring held near its earlier count, and the pool is local: 64.9% of arrivals over three years had left a job in Milan.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Minneapolis Associate Market 2026: Higher Titles on 20.8% of Moves

  About one Minneapolis lateral move in five came with a higher title over 12 months (20.8%), against 12.9% across the market and 8.4% in Chicago. Over three years the city still runs above the market, and employment work scores 176 on the market index.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Minneapolis Lateral Partner Market 2026: A City That Hires in Teams

  Minneapolis hires in teams: 17.9% of its lateral moves arrived with a group, 11.9 times the market rate. Its lawyers also leave for companies at 2.5 times the market pace.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Montreal Law Firm Partner Market 2026: Corporate Heavy, Partner Light

  Corporate work turns up in Montreal lateral hiring at an index of 188 against the market, above Toronto's 140, while partners were only 17.6% of Montreal moves, against 24.6% in Toronto and 27.7% market-wide. Total moves rose 45.8% on the settled year.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Munich Lateral Partner Market 2026: A Partner-Led Corporate City

  Partners took 42.5% of Munich lateral moves in 12 months, well above Frankfurt, London and the market. Corporate work is involved in most of those partner moves, and private equity runs at about four times its market share (index 409).

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Nashville Associate Hiring 2026: Only 34 Firms Made a Lateral Hire

  Only 34 firms hired laterally in Nashville over 12 months, and the most active of them held 73.3% of the city's moves, 5.7 times the market's concentration. With associates at 62.9% of the moves, a firm hiring associates in Nashville is bidding against a short list of repeat buyers.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Nashville Lateral Partner Market 2026: The Growth Came Below Partner

  Nashville firms hired 112 lateral lawyers in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 80, a rise of 40.0% against the market's 9.0%. Partner hiring held flat (+10.3%), and a short list of firms made most of those hires.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• New York Associate Hiring 2026: Firms of 1,000+ Lawyers Set the Pace

  New York associates make up almost exactly the market's share of moves, but they move into much larger firms: firms of 1,000+ lawyers took 62.6% of the city's lateral hires against 53.6% in the market, and New York firms had more roles open on their career pages in November 2026 than firms in any other city.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• New York Lateral Partner Market 2026: More Leave the City Than Arrive

  New York sent 248 lawyers to other cities in 12 months and took in 189, with Washington, Miami, Newark and London the main destinations over 3 years. The partners it does hire over-index in restructuring and banking.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Orlando Lateral Partner Market 2026: A Product Liability City

  Product liability is involved in 35.1% of Orlando lateral moves, about a third, at an index of 515 against the market and above Miami's 292. Construction runs strong over three years, and firms of 1,000+ lawyers take only 17.8% of moves.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Paris Associate Market 2026: The Big-Firm Share Tops London's

  In Paris, 86.4% of lateral moves in the past 12 months went to firms of 1,000+ lawyers, about six in seven, against 68.5% in London and 53.6% across the market. Associates make 63.1% of those moves, and only 12.2% of Paris movers changed city.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Paris Lateral Partner Market 2026: Steady Partners, Shrinking Market

  Lateral hiring in Paris fell 20.5% across all levels, yet partner hiring held steady at 69 hires against 61, so partners now make 25.0% of a smaller market. Almost all of it runs through firms of 1,000+ lawyers.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Philadelphia Associate Market 2026: Growth at 2.7 Times the Market

  Philadelphia lateral moves rose 24.5% between the settled 12-month windows, 2.7 times the market's 9.0%, with associates at 61.5% of moves. Companies also hire the city's lawyers at a higher rate than the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Philadelphia Lateral Partner Market 2026: Small Firms Are Real Bidders

  Firms under 150 lawyers took 2.0 times their market share of Philadelphia lateral moves, and team moves ran at 6.7% against 1.5% nationally.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Phoenix Lateral Partner Market 2026: Litigation Runs Above Denver

  Litigation is involved in 57.4% of lateral moves into Phoenix firms, an index of 144 against 136 in Denver, and in 62.6% over three years. Partner moves held steady at 22 against 22 while market partner hiring rose 8.4%, and partners are 34.4% of Phoenix hires against 27.7% across the market.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Pittsburgh Lateral Partner Market 2026: 1.20 Promotions per Hire

  Pittsburgh firms made 1.20 partner promotions for each lateral partner they hired, against 1.00 in Philadelphia and 0.79 across the market, while lateral volume into the city held flat.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Raleigh Lateral Partner Market 2026: Volume Up, Partner Share Thin

  Raleigh firms hired lateral lawyers at a pace that left the market and Charlotte behind, a rise of 80.0% year on year. Partners were not the engine: they made up 18.2% of Raleigh moves over three years against 26.9% across the market, and firms under 150 lawyers took 2.0 times their market share of hires.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• San Diego Associate Market 2026: Job Openings Run Ahead of Moves

  San Diego lists more law-firm openings than Seattle or Denver, and its share of open roles is 1.6 times its share of lateral moves, against 0.6 in Los Angeles. Firms here advertise for associates more than the moves alone suggest.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• San Diego Lateral Partner Market 2026: A Disputes Bench

  Litigation is in 65.7% of San Diego lateral partner moves, about two in three, an index of 166 against the market and above Los Angeles at 145. Employment work runs at an index of 303 at all levels: the city's partner market is a disputes bench.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• San Francisco Associates 2026: In-House Pull at 1.7 Times the Market

  San Francisco sends lawyers to companies at 1.7 times the market rate, the highest of any city with a published count. Its lateral moves lean into intellectual property and technology, two practices that take a larger share of in-house moves than of moves between firms.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• San Francisco Partner Market 2026: An IP Market That Buys Partners

  San Francisco hires intellectual property partners at an index of 288 against the market, and its firms promote 0.55 lawyers to partner per lateral partner hired, against 0.79 across the market. Partner hiring held steady while the rest of the city's market grew.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Seattle Associate Market 2026: Fewer Lawyers Leave for Companies

  Seattle firms send lawyers to companies at a lower rate than the market or San Francisco, despite the city's technology employers, and the city holds a larger slice of open roles than of lateral moves.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Seattle Lateral Partner Market 2026: Team Moves and a Few Hirers

  Seattle hires in teams: 7.7% of its lateral moves came as group moves, against 1.5% nationally, and the top 10 partner hirers took 70.0% of partner arrivals.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Singapore Partner Market 2026: More Banking Than Hong Kong or Sydney

  Banking and finance features in Singapore lateral moves at an index of 174 against the market, and corporate work at 144. Moves into the city held flat (+0.0%) year on year while the market rose 9.0%.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• St. Louis Lateral Partner Market 2026: Where Regional Firms Hire

  Regional firms set the pace: firms of 150-399 lawyers took 35.6% of lateral moves in the city over 12 months, 2.7 times their market share and far above Chicago or Minneapolis. Overall volume held flat.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Sydney Associate Market 2026: Hired Locally, Lost to London

  London takes about one in five lawyers who leave Sydney firms for another law firm, 18.2% over 12 months and 22.3% over three years, while 63.4% of Sydney hires come from another Sydney firm. The associate bench is built at home and lost to London.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Sydney Lateral Partner Market 2026: Senior Moves Outweigh Associates

  Partners and counsel made 56.9% of Sydney lateral moves over 12 months, against 40.4% across the market and 40.7% in Hong Kong. Sydney firms also promote 1.06 partners for each lateral partner they hire, against 0.79 market-wide.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Tampa Lateral Partner Market 2026: A Market Built by Smaller Firms

  Tampa hires through smaller firms: firms of 1,000+ lawyers took 16.1% of its lateral moves over 12 months, 30.0% of their market share and far below Miami's 50.7%. Firms of under 150 lawyers took 2.4 times theirs.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Toronto Associate Market 2026: Mid-Size Firms Hire Above Their Weight

  Firms of 400-999 lawyers took 41.2% of Toronto lateral hires over 12 months, 1.8 times their market share, while firms of 1,000+ lawyers took 38.2% against 62.6% in New York.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Toronto Lateral Partner Market 2026: Promotions Outrun Partner Hires

  From June 2025 to May 2026, Toronto firms promoted 2.09 lawyers to partner for every lateral partner they hired, against 0.79 across the market. Lateral partner hiring held flat, and time to partner is close to Montreal's.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Warsaw Partner Market 2026: A Sharp Drop, Nearly All at Big Firms

  Lateral hiring in Warsaw fell 43.6% between the settled 12-month windows while the market rose 9.0% and London held flat (-2.5%). Firms of 1,000+ lawyers took 94.4% of Warsaw moves, and partners were only 12.8% of the three-year flow.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Washington DC Associate Hiring 2026: A Thin Associate Bench

  Associates are 49.9% of lateral moves into Washington firms, against 58.5% in the market: the lowest share among the top 10 city markets. Washington lawyers also leave for companies more often, at 16.4 per hundred lateral moves against 13.1.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026
• Washington DC Lateral Partners 2026: The Most Partner-Heavy Big City

  Partners are 37.7% of lateral moves into Washington, against 27.7% in the market as a whole. Partner hiring there also rose faster than the market's on the year, 18.2% against 8.4%.

  November 11, 2026 · November 2026