Appellate: lateral monitor

In the Sartori & Partners lateral record, 197 lawyers joined a new firm in Appellate from November 2025 to October 2026. Year on year the count held level (197 to 194 on settled windows, -1.5%). It fell behind the market's own change of +9.0%.

Over the three years to October 2026, 596 lawyers moved in Appellate, 278 of them partners (46.6%). They joined 263 different firms. 19.5% stepped up a level on the move and 21.1% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 48.6% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

Partners make up 48.2% of arrivals, against 27.7% across the market: a partner-heavy flow. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 94 to 92 (-2.1%), which we read as flat. 18.3% of movers stepped up a level when they changed firm, against 12.9% for the market.

130 firms hired at least one lateral in Appellate in the window. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 22.0% of arrivals (12.9% market-wide), so hiring here is moderately concentrated. First on the hiring table is Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, with arrivals in the 6-10 band.

Washington, DC ranks first among destination cities with 15.7% of arrivals, followed by New York (13.7%). 19.3% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

Group moves were 3.0% of the total (market 1.5%).

There were 90 open roles in Appellate on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

With volume in Appellate 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 245 dated deals in Appellate in the 12 months to October 2026 and 627 over the three years to October 2026.

Disputes & investigations work is involved in 99.5% of them.

By client industry, Banks & Financial Institutions comes first with 8.9%.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 21-40 band.