Monthly edition
Lateral market, October 2025
The lateral market in October 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
- 1,140
- Lateral moves in the month
- +0.4%
- Against the same month last year
- 4,054
- Dated deals
What the data show
Sartori & Partners data show 1,140 lateral moves in October 2025. The same month a year earlier had 1,135, a change of +0.4%, flat by our reading.
Year to date, the count stands at 11,700 against 11,310 for the same months last year (+3.4%, flat). Partner moves year to date: 3,230, against 2,957 a year earlier. Over the same months, 37,346 dated deals were recorded and 2,723 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner22.6%
- Counsel12.5%
- Associate63.8%
Partners were 22.6% of the month's movers and associates 63.8%, against 23.1% in the same month last year. 18.5% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 38.0% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 20.5%. By city, New York came first with 12.6%, then London with 11.7%.
In the same month, 172 lawyers were promoted to partner, 25 were promoted to counsel, 4,054 dated deals were recorded and 12 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers54.2%
- 400-999 lawyers25.0%
- 150-399 lawyers11.8%
- under 150 lawyers9.1%
The chart of October 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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