Monthly edition
Lateral market, February 2025
The lateral market in February 2025: 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
- 1,137
- Lateral moves in the month
- +19.1%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,370
- Dated deals
What the data show
In February 2025, Sartori & Partners recorded 1,137 lateral moves. The same month a year earlier had 955, a change of +19.1%, up on the year.
Year to date, the count stands at 2,667 against 2,296 for the same months last year (+16.2%, up). Partner moves year to date: 812, against 687 a year earlier. Over the same months, 8,010 dated deals were recorded and 1,677 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner30.5%
- Counsel12.0%
- Associate55.8%
Partners were 30.5% of the month's movers and associates 55.8%, against 30.3% in the same month last year. 21.1% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 39.7% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 19.4%. By city, New York came first with 14.3%, then London with 10.5%.
In the same month, 130 lawyers were promoted to partner, 65 were promoted to counsel, 3,370 dated deals were recorded and 6 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers55.1%
- 400-999 lawyers26.4%
- 150-399 lawyers13.2%
- under 150 lawyers5.3%
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.
Related monitors and reports
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].
For law firm leaders
Planning a partner hire in this market?
We run retained partner searches using the same data behind this page.