Monthly edition
Lateral market, January 2026
The lateral market in January 2026: 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
- 1,560
- Lateral moves in the month
- +2.0%
- Against the same month last year
- 4,444
- Dated deals
What the data show
January 2026 brought 1,560 lateral moves in the Sartori & Partners record. The same month a year earlier had 1,530, a change of +2.0%, flat by our reading.
Year to date, the count stands at 1,560 against 1,530 for the same months last year (+2.0%, flat). Partner moves year to date: 496, against 465 a year earlier. Over the same months, 4,444 dated deals were recorded and 1,666 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner31.8%
- Counsel13.8%
- Associate53.4%
Partners were 31.8% of the month's movers and associates 53.4%, against 30.4% in the same month last year. 20.4% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 40.3% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 18.0%. By city, New York came first with 13.3%, then London with 10.7%.
In the same month, 1,666 lawyers were promoted to partner, 667 were promoted to counsel, 4,444 dated deals were recorded and 15 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers51.6%
- 400-999 lawyers25.3%
- 150-399 lawyers13.8%
- under 150 lawyers9.3%
The chart of January 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].
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