Monthly edition
Lateral market, February 2026
The lateral market in February 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
- 1,181
- Lateral moves in the month
- +3.9%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,710
- Dated deals
What the data show
Sartori & Partners data show 1,181 lateral moves in February 2026. The same month a year earlier had 1,137, a change of +3.9%, flat by our reading.
Year to date, the count stands at 2,741 against 2,667 for the same months last year (+2.8%, flat). Partner moves year to date: 890, against 812 a year earlier. Over the same months, 8,154 dated deals were recorded and 1,790 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner33.4%
- Counsel11.8%
- Associate54.0%
Partners were 33.4% of the month's movers and associates 54.0%, against 30.5% in the same month last year. 19.0% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 38.3% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 19.5%. By city, New York came first with 13.5%, then London with 9.5%.
In the same month, 124 lawyers were promoted to partner, 80 were promoted to counsel, 3,710 dated deals were recorded and 6 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers54.3%
- 400-999 lawyers23.3%
- 150-399 lawyers12.5%
- under 150 lawyers9.9%
The chart of February 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].
For law firm leaders
Planning a partner hire in this market?
We run retained partner searches using the same data behind this page.