Children & Custody: lateral monitor

From November 2025 to October 2026, Sartori & Partners recorded 49 lateral moves in Children & Custody. On settled windows the count went from 47 to 51 (+8.5%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat.

Over the three years to October 2026, 145 lawyers moved in Children & Custody, 48 of them partners (33.1%). They joined 62 different firms. 13.8% stepped up a level on the move and 28.2% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 39.1% came from firms with 400-999 lawyers.

At 36.7%, the partner share of arrivals sits above the market's 27.7%. A step up in title came with 18.4% of moves (market 12.9%).

The 12-month firm table is below our naming threshold, so this part reads the three years to October 2026. Lateral hires in Children & Custody were spread across 62 firms. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 47.6% of arrivals (12.2% market-wide), so hiring here is concentrated. Keystone Law ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 11-20 band.

City figures here cover the three years to October 2026. London ranks first among destination cities with 18.6% of arrivals. 22.2% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

With volume in Children & Custody 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 24 dated deals in Children & Custody in the 12 months to October 2026 and 80 over the three years to October 2026.

Disputes & investigations work is involved in 90.0% of them.

By client industry, Individuals & Consumers comes first with 46.2%.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 6-10 band.