Private Equity in Washington, DC: lateral monitor

In the Sartori & Partners lateral record, 36 lawyers joined a new firm in Private Equity in Washington, DC from November 2025 to October 2026, 2.9% of the practice's moves. On settled windows the count went from 29 to 33 (+13.8%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat.

Over the three years to October 2026, 87 lawyers moved in Private Equity in Washington, DC, 36 of them partners (41.4%). They joined 49 different firms. 6.9% stepped up a level on the move and 19.0% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 80.2% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

Partners make up 44.4% of arrivals, against 27.7% across the market: a partner-heavy flow.

The 12-month firm table is below our naming threshold, so this part reads the three years to October 2026. Lateral hires in Private Equity in Washington, DC were spread across 49 firms. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 48.8% of arrivals (12.2% market-wide), so hiring here is concentrated. Latham & Watkins ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 6-10 band.

The practice accounts for 4.6% of all lateral moves in Washington, DC. Over the three years to October 2026, 73.6% of movers came from another firm in Washington, DC itself. A change of city came with 21.2% of moves (market 20.5%).

With volume in Private Equity in Washington, DC 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 329 dated deals in Private Equity in Washington, DC in the 12 months to October 2026 and 778 over the three years to October 2026.

Private equity work is involved in 56.3% of them and M&A in 7.3%.

By client industry, Financial Sponsors comes first with 83.8%.

Latham & Watkins ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 61-100 band.