Monthly edition
Lateral market, December 2025
The lateral market in December 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
- 638
- Lateral moves in the month
- +7.6%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,915
- Dated deals
What the data show
In December 2025, Sartori & Partners recorded 638 lateral moves. The same month a year earlier had 593, a change of +7.6%, flat by our reading.
Year to date, the count stands at 13,237 against 12,743 for the same months last year (+3.9%, flat). Partner moves year to date: 3,594, against 3,281 a year earlier. Over the same months, 44,905 dated deals were recorded and 2,859 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner22.9%
- Counsel12.5%
- Associate63.8%
Partners were 22.9% of the month's movers and associates 63.8%, against 22.6% in the same month last year. 20.7% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 45.9% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 16.0%. By city, New York came first with 14.3%, then London with 8.2%.
In the same month, 58 lawyers were promoted to partner, 33 were promoted to counsel, 3,915 dated deals were recorded and 4 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers52.7%
- 400-999 lawyers25.8%
- 150-399 lawyers12.7%
- under 150 lawyers8.7%
The chart of December 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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