Monthly edition
Lateral market, April 2026
The lateral market in April 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
- 1,232
- Lateral moves in the month
- +16.8%
- Against the same month last year
- 3,738
- Dated deals
What the data show
April 2026 brought 1,232 lateral moves in the Sartori & Partners record. The same month a year earlier had 1,055, a change of +16.8%, up on the year.
Year to date, the count stands at 5,273 against 4,922 for the same months last year (+7.1%, up). Partner moves year to date: 1,550, against 1,404 a year earlier. Over the same months, 16,005 dated deals were recorded and 2,042 lawyers were promoted to partner.
- Partner27.0%
- Counsel12.6%
- Associate59.5%
Partners were 27.0% of the month's movers and associates 59.5%, against 28.0% in the same month last year. 20.1% of the month's movers also changed city.
By practice, Litigation & Disputes was involved in 40.8% of moves and Corporate & M&A in 18.6%. By city, New York came first with 14.3%, then London with 7.7%.
In the same month, 163 lawyers were promoted to partner, 112 were promoted to counsel, 3,738 dated deals were recorded and 14 office openings were announced.
- 1,000+ lawyers52.6%
- 400-999 lawyers22.7%
- 150-399 lawyers16.3%
- under 150 lawyers8.4%
The chart of April 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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