Litigation & Disputes in Seattle: lateral monitor

Sartori & Partners data show 109 lateral moves in Litigation & Disputes in Seattle from November 2025 to October 2026, 1.9% of the practice's moves. On settled windows the count went from 76 to 114, up 50.0% year on year. That runs ahead of the wider market, which moved +9.0%.

Over the three years to October 2026, 255 lawyers moved in Litigation & Disputes in Seattle, 74 of them partners (29.0%). They joined 62 different firms. 11.4% stepped up a level on the move and 19.2% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 58.1% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

The level mix sits close to the market: partners are 27.5% of arrivals, against 27.7% market-wide. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 28 to 34 (+21.4%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat. 7.3% of movers stepped up a level when they changed firm, against 12.9% for the market.

40 firms hired at least one lateral in Litigation & Disputes in Seattle in the window. Ten firms account for 57.1% of arrivals, against 12.9% across the market: concentrated. Morrison & Foerster ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 11-20 band.

The practice accounts for 69.9% of all lateral moves in Seattle. Over the three years to October 2026, 64.3% of movers came from another firm in Seattle itself. A change of city came with 18.7% of moves (market 20.5%).

10.1% of moves came as part of a group, against 1.5% market-wide.

There were 31 open roles in Litigation & Disputes in Seattle on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

For a firm hiring in Litigation & Disputes in Seattle, a rising market means candidates have options: move quickly once a shortlist exists.

Sartori & Partners data count 30 over the three years to October 2026.

Disputes & investigations work is involved in 100.0% of them.

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 6-10 band.

Over the three years to October 2026, Commercial Litigation was involved in 33.3% of moves in Litigation & Disputes in Seattle, then Class Actions with 18.8%.