Monthly edition
Lateral market, December 2023
The lateral market in December 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
- 473
- Lateral moves in the month
- +6.8%
- Against the same month last year
- 2,825
- Dated deals
What the data show
In December 2023, Sartori & Partners recorded 473 lateral moves. The same month a year earlier had 443, a change of +6.8%, flat by our reading.
Year to date, the count stands at 10,875 against 12,622 for the same months last year (-13.8%, down). Partner moves year to date: 3,020, against 3,063 a year earlier. Over the same months, 35,101 dated deals were recorded and 2,819 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner23.5%
- Counsel12.7%
- Associate59.0%
Partners were 23.5% of the month's movers and associates 59.0%, against 23.7% in the same month last year. 22.4% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 44.0% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 16.7%. By city, New York came first with 11.4%, then London with 11.0%.
In the same month, 48 lawyers were promoted to partner, 26 were promoted to counsel, 2,825 dated deals were recorded and 6 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers52.1%
- 400-999 lawyers26.5%
- 150-399 lawyers14.7%
- under 150 lawyers6.7%
The chart of December 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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