Litigation & Disputes in Toronto: lateral monitor

From November 2025 to October 2026, Sartori & Partners recorded 48 lateral moves in Litigation & Disputes in Toronto, 0.9% of the practice's moves. On settled windows the count went from 42 to 40 (-4.8%), which we read as flat. That trails the wider market, which moved +9.0%.

Over the three years to October 2026, 150 lawyers moved in Litigation & Disputes in Toronto, 47 of them partners (31.3%). They joined 36 different firms. 10.7% stepped up a level on the move and 11.2% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 43.8% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

Partners account for 27.1% of movers, near the market's 27.7%. 10.4% of movers stepped up a level when they changed firm, against 12.9% for the market.

The 12-month firm table is below our naming threshold, so this part reads the three years to October 2026. Lateral hires in Litigation & Disputes in Toronto were spread across 36 firms. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 63.1% of arrivals (12.2% market-wide), so hiring here is concentrated. First on the hiring table is McCarthy Tétrault, with arrivals in the 11-20 band.

The practice accounts for 34.8% of all lateral moves in Toronto. Over the three years to October 2026, 74.0% of movers came from another firm in Toronto itself. 16.3% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

With volume in Litigation & Disputes in Toronto 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 26 over the three years to October 2026.

Disputes & investigations work is involved in 96.2% of them.

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin 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 30.7% of moves in Litigation & Disputes in Toronto, then Class Actions with 15.3%.