Monthly edition
Lateral market, September 2025
The lateral market in September 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
- 1,473
- Lateral moves in the month
- +4.5%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,874
- Dated deals
What the data show
In September 2025, Sartori & Partners recorded 1,473 lateral moves. The same month a year earlier had 1,410, a change of +4.5%, flat by our reading.
Year to date, the count stands at 10,560 against 10,175 for the same months last year (+3.8%, flat). Partner moves year to date: 2,972, against 2,695 a year earlier. Over the same months, 33,292 dated deals were recorded and 2,551 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner24.2%
- Counsel12.0%
- Associate62.8%
Partners were 24.2% of the month's movers and associates 62.8%, against 20.8% in the same month last year. 24.4% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 36.9% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 21.7%. By city, New York came first with 15.5%, then London with 12.3%.
In the same month, 50 lawyers were promoted to partner, 50 were promoted to counsel, 3,874 dated deals were recorded and 13 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers53.3%
- 400-999 lawyers25.5%
- 150-399 lawyers11.4%
- under 150 lawyers9.8%
The chart of September 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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