Commercial Litigation: lateral monitor

From November 2025 to October 2026, Sartori & Partners recorded 1,861 lateral moves in Commercial Litigation. On settled windows the count went from 1,803 to 1,890 (+4.8%), which we read as flat. The market as a whole moved +9.0%, a similar pace.

Over the three years to October 2026, 5,682 lawyers moved in Commercial Litigation, 1,745 of them partners (30.7%). They joined 715 different firms. 13.1% stepped up a level on the move and 19.9% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 45.1% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

With partners at 30.9% of arrivals, the mix is in line with the market's 27.7%. On settled 12-month windows partner moves alone showed no clear change: 567 against 572 (-0.9%). A step up in title came with 13.2% of moves (market 12.9%).

425 firms hired at least one lateral in Commercial Litigation in the window. Ten firms account for 14.0% of arrivals, against 12.9% across the market: spread wide. First on the hiring table is Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, with arrivals in the 61-100 band.

New York ranks first among destination cities with 14.4% of arrivals, followed by Los Angeles (7.8%). 20.5% of movers also changed city, against 20.5% market-wide.

2.4% of moves came as part of a group, against 1.5% market-wide.

There were 522 open roles in Commercial Litigation on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

With volume in Commercial Litigation 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 846 dated deals in Commercial Litigation in the 12 months to October 2026 and 2,288 over the three years to October 2026.

Disputes & investigations work is involved in 99.2% of them.

By client industry, Banks & Financial Institutions comes first with 9.7%.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 61-100 band.