Monthly edition
Lateral market, May 2024
The lateral market in May 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
- 1,109
- Lateral moves in the month
- +9.7%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,515
- Dated deals
What the data show
In May 2024, Sartori & Partners recorded 1,109 lateral moves. The same month a year earlier had 1,011, a change of +9.7%, up on the year.
Year to date, the count stands at 5,630 against 4,814 for the same months last year (+17.0%, up). Partner moves year to date: 1,596, against 1,447 a year earlier. Over the same months, 17,686 dated deals were recorded and 2,147 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner28.0%
- Counsel12.1%
- Associate57.9%
Partners were 28.0% of the month's movers and associates 57.9%, against 29.4% in the same month last year. 23.2% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 44.8% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 18.7%. By city, New York came first with 12.7%, then London with 9.0%.
In the same month, 297 lawyers were promoted to partner, 218 were promoted to counsel, 3,515 dated deals were recorded and 12 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers50.5%
- 400-999 lawyers29.8%
- 150-399 lawyers11.8%
- under 150 lawyers7.9%
The chart of May 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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