Class Actions: lateral monitor

Sartori & Partners data show 666 lateral moves in Class Actions from November 2025 to October 2026. On settled windows the count went from 610 to 667 (+9.3%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat.

Over the three years to October 2026, 1,965 lawyers moved in Class Actions, 717 of them partners (36.5%). They joined 384 different firms. 12.8% stepped up a level on the move and 17.7% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 54.5% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

Partners make up 40.1% of arrivals, against 27.7% across the market: a partner-heavy flow. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 219 to 259, up 18.3% year on year. 12.6% of movers stepped up a level when they changed firm, against 12.9% for the market.

235 firms hired at least one lateral in Class Actions in the window. Ten firms account for 18.6% of arrivals, against 12.9% across the market: moderately concentrated. Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 11-20 band.

By city, Los Angeles comes first (18.3% of arrivals), then New York (13.2%). 17.0% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

2.7% of moves came as part of a group, against 1.5% market-wide.

There were 368 open roles in Class Actions on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

For a firm planning a hire in Class Actions, a flat market means candidates are not being pulled by a wave: the case for a move has to come from the platform.

Sartori & Partners data count 171 dated deals in Class Actions in the 12 months to October 2026 and 429 over the three years to October 2026.

Disputes & investigations work is involved in 99.3% of them.

By client industry, Asset Management & Funds comes first with 11.4%.

Labaton Sucharow ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 21-40 band.