Monthly edition
Lateral market, February 2024
The lateral market in February 2024: 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
- 955
- Lateral moves in the month
- +16.9%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,202
- Dated deals
What the data show
February 2024 brought 955 lateral moves in the Sartori & Partners record. The same month a year earlier had 817, a change of +16.9%, up on the year.
Year to date, the count stands at 2,296 against 2,051 for the same months last year (+11.9%, up). Partner moves year to date: 687, against 643 a year earlier. Over the same months, 7,724 dated deals were recorded and 1,611 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner30.3%
- Counsel10.1%
- Associate57.1%
Partners were 30.3% of the month's movers and associates 57.1%, against 29.7% in the same month last year. 22.7% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 40.5% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 19.1%. By city, New York came first with 10.7%, then London with 8.9%.
In the same month, 108 lawyers were promoted to partner, 53 were promoted to counsel, 3,202 dated deals were recorded and 11 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers51.7%
- 400-999 lawyers26.2%
- 150-399 lawyers14.9%
- under 150 lawyers7.2%
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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