Litigation & Disputes in London: lateral monitor

In the Sartori & Partners lateral record, 241 lawyers joined a new firm in Litigation & Disputes in London from November 2025 to October 2026, 4.3% of the practice's moves. On settled windows the count went from 231 to 243 (+5.2%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat.

Over the three years to October 2026, 747 lawyers moved in Litigation & Disputes in London, 216 of them partners (28.9%). They joined 157 different firms. 11.8% stepped up a level on the move and 16.5% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 59.0% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

With partners at 29.9% of arrivals, the mix is in line with the market's 27.7%. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 77 to 64 (-16.9%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat. A step up in title came with 13.3% of moves (market 12.9%).

Lateral hires in Litigation & Disputes in London were spread across 109 firms. Ten firms account for 28.7% of arrivals, against 12.9% across the market: moderately concentrated. Mishcon de Reya ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 6-10 band.

The practice accounts for 18.5% of all lateral moves in London. Over the three years to October 2026, 60.4% of movers came from another firm in London itself. 15.2% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

There were 24 open roles in Litigation & Disputes in London on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

With volume in Litigation & Disputes in London 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 43 dated deals in Litigation & Disputes in London in the 12 months to October 2026 and 137 over the three years to October 2026.

Disputes & investigations work is involved in 97.1% of them.

By client industry, Banks & Financial Institutions comes first with 18.2%.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 11-20 band.

Over the three years to October 2026, Commercial Litigation was involved in 22.4% of moves in Litigation & Disputes in London, then Professional Liability with 6.8%.