Immigration: lateral market monitor

In the Sartori & Partners lateral record, 118 lawyers joined a new firm in Immigration from November 2025 to October 2026, 0.8% of all lateral moves we tracked. On settled windows the count went from 110 to 117 (+6.4%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat.

At 22.0%, partners are a smaller slice of arrivals than in the market as a whole (27.7%). On settled windows partner moves alone went from 29 to 21 (-27.6%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat. A step up in title came with 18.6% of moves (market 12.9%).

Lateral hires in Immigration were spread across 67 firms. Ten firms account for 45.7% of arrivals, against 12.9% across the market: concentrated. Ogletree Deakins ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 11-20 band.

City figures here cover the three years to October 2026. New York ranks first among destination cities with 10.3% of arrivals, followed by London (6.2%). A change of city came with 24.2% of moves (market 20.5%).

With volume in Immigration holding level, a hire depends on a specific reason to move, which a firm has to put in front of the candidate.