Monthly edition
Lateral market, February 2023
The lateral market in February 2023: how many lawyers changed firm, at what level, in which practices and cities, and what else moved that month.
The last 12 months: November 2025 to October 2026
- 817
- Lateral moves in the month
- -23.4%
- Against the same month last year
- 2,654
- Dated deals
What the data show
February 2023 brought 817 lateral moves in the Sartori & Partners record. The same month a year earlier had 1,066, a change of -23.4%, down on the year.
Year to date, the count stands at 2,051 against 2,715 for the same months last year (-24.5%, down). Partner moves year to date: 643, against 688 a year earlier. Over the same months, 6,528 dated deals were recorded and 1,677 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner29.7%
- Counsel10.5%
- Associate54.8%
Partners were 29.7% of the month's movers and associates 54.8%, against 22.6% in the same month last year. 23.6% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 46.8% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 19.7%. By city, New York came first with 10.9%, then London with 8.7%.
In the same month, 115 lawyers were promoted to partner, 77 were promoted to counsel, 2,654 dated deals were recorded and 7 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers52.6%
- 400-999 lawyers24.5%
- 150-399 lawyers14.8%
- under 150 lawyers8.1%
The chart of February across the years shows where this month sits against the same month in earlier years, without the season in the way.
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Hiring in this market
Edition November 2026. Window: November 2025 to October 2026. Source: Sartori & Partners, from public law-firm announcements, firm websites and professional profiles, checked monthly. Methodology. Spot an error? [email protected].
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