Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles: lateral monitor

In the Sartori & Partners lateral record, 89 lawyers joined a new firm in Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles from November 2025 to October 2026, 3.1% of the practice's moves. On settled windows the count went from 67 to 85 (+26.9%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat.

Over the three years to October 2026, 222 lawyers moved in Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles, 82 of them partners (36.9%). They joined 91 different firms. 11.3% stepped up a level on the move and 20.5% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 62.9% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

Partners make up 37.1% of arrivals, against 27.7% across the market: a partner-heavy flow. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 23 to 31 (+34.8%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat. A step up in title came with 14.6% of moves (market 12.9%).

The 12-month firm table is below our naming threshold, so this part reads the three years to October 2026. 91 firms hired at least one lateral in Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles in the window. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 30.1% of arrivals (12.2% market-wide), so hiring here is concentrated. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 11-20 band.

The practice accounts for 12.5% of all lateral moves in Los Angeles. Over the three years to October 2026, 68.0% of movers came from another firm in Los Angeles itself. 19.5% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

There were 44 open roles in Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

With volume in Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles holding level, a hire depends on a specific reason to move, which a firm has to put in front of the candidate.

Sartori & Partners data count 819 dated deals in Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles in the 12 months to October 2026 and 2,004 over the three years to October 2026.

M&A work is involved in 74.4% of them and Venture & growth in 8.7%.

By client industry, Technology & Software comes first with 17.9%.

Latham & Watkins ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 401-700 band.

Over the three years to October 2026, Private M&A was involved in 44.6% of moves in Corporate & M&A in Los Angeles, then Venture Capital & Startups with 21.2%.