Houston: lateral market monitor

From November 2025 to October 2026, Sartori & Partners recorded 331 lateral moves in Houston, 2.3% of all lateral moves we tracked. Year on year, on windows that end a month early, the count grew 51.1% (223 to 337). It outpaced the market's own change of +9.0%.

Partners account for 29.6% of movers, near the market's 27.7%. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 69 to 96, up 39.1% year on year. A step up in title came with 9.1% of moves (market 12.9%).

Lateral hires in Houston were spread across 109 firms. Ten firms account for 35.4% of arrivals, against 12.9% across the market: concentrated. First on the hiring table is Kirkland & Ellis, with arrivals in the 21-40 band.

By practice, Litigation & Disputes comes first, involved in 38.4% of arrivals here (39.9% across the market). More lawyers left Houston for another city (56) than moved in from one (47). A change of city came with 16.8% of moves (market 20.5%).

In-house roles drew 22 lawyers in the last 6 months, 12.3 per 100 lateral moves (market 13.1).

Volume in Houston is rising with a mix close to the market, so timing matters more than the level you hire at.