Chicago: lateral market monitor

Sartori & Partners data show 597 lateral moves in Chicago from November 2025 to October 2026, 4.2% of all lateral moves we tracked. On settled windows the count went from 548 to 601 (+9.7%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat.

Partners account for 26.8% of movers, near the market's 27.7%. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 163 to 159 (-2.5%), which we read as flat. 8.4% of movers stepped up a level when they changed firm, against 12.9% for the market.

148 firms hired at least one lateral in Chicago in the window. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 21.2% of arrivals (12.9% market-wide), so hiring here is moderately concentrated. Kirkland & Ellis ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 11-20 band.

Litigation & Disputes ranks first among practices, involved in 41.0% of the city's arrivals against 39.9% of the whole market. More lawyers moved into Chicago from another city (78) than left it for one (59). 15.7% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

In-house roles drew 38 lawyers in the last 6 months, 12.5 per 100 lateral moves (market 13.1).

For a firm planning a hire in Chicago, a flat market means candidates are not being pulled by a wave: the case for a move has to come from the platform.