International Arbitration & Public International Law · speciality monitor
International Commercial Arbitration: lateral monitor
Lawyers whose work centers on International Commercial Arbitration and who changed firm over the last 12 months, set against the International Arbitration & Public International Law practice and the market.
The last 12 months: November 2025 to October 2026
- 199
- Lateral moves, 12 monthsNovember 2025 to October 2026
- +4.0%
- Year on yearSettled 12-month windows
- 38.7%
- Partner share of moves
- 93
- Firms that hired
What the data show
In the Sartori & Partners lateral record, 199 lawyers joined a new firm in International Commercial Arbitration from November 2025 to October 2026. On settled windows the count went from 198 to 206 (+4.0%), which we read as flat. The market as a whole moved +9.0%, so this flow lagged it.
| Measure | Here | International Arbitration & Public International Law | Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner share of moves | 38.7% | 35.8% | 27.7% |
| Counsel share of moves | 16.1% | 16.7% | 12.7% |
| Associate share of moves | 44.2% | 46.3% | 58.5% |
| Moved up a level | 14.6% | 16.7% | 12.9% |
| Changed city | 24.8% | 24.8% | 20.5% |
| Hired by firms of 1,000+ lawyers | 68.2% | 71.4% | 53.6% |
| Year on year | flat (+4.0%) | flat (+12.8%) | rose (+9.0%) |
12 months to October 2026 unless the row says three years; a row switches to three years for every column when this page's 12-month value is not published. A dash is a value we do not publish. Flat means a change under 5% or inside the noise of the two counts.
Set against the International Arbitration & Public International Law practice as a whole, the share hired by firms of 1,000+ lawyers stands out most: 68.2% here against 71.4%, below it. Year on year it moved with the International Arbitration & Public International Law practice as a whole: both flat.
Over the three years to October 2026, 621 lawyers moved in International Commercial Arbitration, 222 of them partners (35.7%). They joined 156 different firms. 12.7% stepped up a level on the move and 25.1% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 66.3% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.
- Partner38.7%
- Counsel16.1%
- Associate44.2%
This is a partner market: 38.7% of movers were partners, against 27.7% market-wide. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 68 to 77 (+13.2%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat. A step up in title came with 14.6% of moves (market 12.9%).
- 1,000+ lawyers68.2%
- 400-999 lawyers26.8%
- 150-399 lawyers3.0%
93 firms hired at least one lateral in International Commercial Arbitration in the window. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 34.9% of arrivals (12.9% market-wide), so hiring here is concentrated. First on the hiring table is Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, with arrivals in the 6-10 band.
- 1,000+ lawyers66.3%
- 400-999 lawyers19.2%
- 150-399 lawyers6.4%
- under 150 lawyers8.2%
London ranks first among destination cities with 26.1% of arrivals. A change of city came with 24.8% of moves (market 20.5%).
6.0% of moves came as part of a group, against 1.5% market-wide.
There were 45 open roles in International Commercial Arbitration on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.
For a firm planning a hire in International Commercial Arbitration, a flat market means candidates are not being pulled by a wave: the case for a move has to come from the platform.
Firms by rank and band
Each firm appears as a rank and a band, never an exact count, and only with at least 10 moves in the window.
| Rank | Firm | Moves (band) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hogan Lovells Cadwalader | 6-10 |
| 2 | Paul Hastings | 6-10 |
| 3 | Stephenson Harwood | 6-10 |
| 4 | King & Spalding | 6-10 |
| 5 | Clyde & Co | 6-10 |
| 6 | Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan | 6-10 |
| 7 | K & L Gates | 6-10 |
| 8 | Jones Day | 6-10 |
| 9 | CMS | 3-5 |
| 10 | Holman Fenwick Willan | 3-5 |
| Rank | Firm | Moves (band) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keystone Law | 6-10 |
| 2 | Holman Fenwick Willan | 6-10 |
| 3 | Stephenson Harwood | 6-10 |
| 4 | Eversheds Sutherland | 6-10 |
| 5 | Trowers & Hamlins | 6-10 |
| 6 | King & Spalding | 6-10 |
| 7 | DWF | 3-5 |
| 8 | Baker McKenzie | 3-5 |
| 9 | Pinsent Masons | 3-5 |
| 10 | Paul Hastings | 3-5 |
Deals in International Commercial Arbitration
Sartori & Partners data count 30 dated deals in International Commercial Arbitration in the 12 months to October 2026 and 94 over the three years to October 2026.
Disputes & investigations work is involved in 97.9% of them.
King & Spalding ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 11-20 band.
| Rank | Firm | Deals (band) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | King & Spalding | 11-20 |
| 2 | McDermott Will & Schulte | 6-10 |
| 3 | Jones Day | 3-5 |
| 4 | DLA Piper | 3-5 |
| 5 | Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati | 3-5 |
| 6 | Troutman Pepper Locke | 3-5 |
| 7 | Squire Patton Boggs | 3-5 |
| 8 | Mayer Brown | 3-5 |
| 9 | Hughes Hubbard & Reed | 3-5 |
| 10 | Baker Botts | 3-5 |
Time to partner in International Commercial Arbitration
57 lawyers were promoted to partner in International Commercial Arbitration in the 12 months to May 2026, 314 over five years, according to Sartori & Partners data.
The median time from first year of practice to partner is 10.0 years, with the middle half between 9.0 years and 12.2 years, against a market median of 10.0 years. 75.0% made partner within 12 years.
These figures rest on 168 promotions.
Related monitors and reports
Up one level
Other specialities in International Arbitration & Public International Law
Hiring in this market
Reports
- International Arbitration Lawyers: London, the Gulf and Asian Seats
Arbitration hiring runs through London, at an index of 282, and then through New York, Dubai and Singapore, which each took 7.1%, 6.9% and 6.8% of moves over 3 years. The pool travels: 24.8% of movers changed city.
November 11, 2026 · November 2026
Edition November 2026. Window: November 2025 to October 2026. Source: Sartori & Partners, from public law-firm announcements, firm websites and professional profiles, checked monthly. Methodology. Spot an error? [email protected].
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