Monthly edition
Lateral market, April 2023
The lateral market in April 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
- 920
- Lateral moves in the month
- -21.0%
- Against the same month last year
- 2,459
- Dated deals
What the data show
Sartori & Partners data show 920 lateral moves in April 2023. The same month a year earlier had 1,165, a change of -21.0%, down on the year.
Year to date, the count stands at 3,803 against 5,033 for the same months last year (-24.4%, down). Partner moves year to date: 1,150, against 1,279 a year earlier. Over the same months, 12,032 dated deals were recorded and 1,910 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner31.4%
- Counsel11.7%
- Associate53.4%
Partners were 31.4% of the month's movers and associates 53.4%, against 24.3% in the same month last year. 25.0% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 46.0% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 18.3%. By city, New York came first with 12.6%, then London with 10.2%.
In the same month, 125 lawyers were promoted to partner, 86 were promoted to counsel, 2,459 dated deals were recorded and 11 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers46.9%
- 400-999 lawyers27.9%
- 150-399 lawyers17.3%
- under 150 lawyers7.9%
The chart of April 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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