Monthly edition
Lateral market, April 2025
The lateral market in April 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
- 1,055
- Lateral moves in the month
- -13.3%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,115
- Dated deals
What the data show
In April 2025, Sartori & Partners recorded 1,055 lateral moves. The same month a year earlier had 1,217, a change of -13.3%, down on the year.
Year to date, the count stands at 4,922 against 4,521 for the same months last year (+8.9%, up). Partner moves year to date: 1,404, against 1,286 a year earlier. Over the same months, 14,522 dated deals were recorded and 1,976 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner28.0%
- Counsel11.9%
- Associate58.6%
Partners were 28.0% of the month's movers and associates 58.6%, against 26.8% in the same month last year. 21.5% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 39.2% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 18.6%. By city, New York came first with 15.2%, then London with 9.9%.
In the same month, 207 lawyers were promoted to partner, 125 were promoted to counsel, 3,115 dated deals were recorded and 12 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers47.2%
- 400-999 lawyers28.7%
- 150-399 lawyers15.6%
- under 150 lawyers8.5%
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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