Real Estate Development: lateral monitor

Sartori & Partners data show 322 lateral moves in Real Estate Development from November 2025 to October 2026. On settled windows the count went from 336 to 331 (-1.5%), which we read as flat. It fell behind the market's own change of +9.0%.

Over the three years to October 2026, 924 lawyers moved in Real Estate Development, 411 of them partners (44.5%). They joined 290 different firms. 16.0% stepped up a level on the move and 19.4% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 45.7% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

At 41.6%, the partner share of arrivals sits above the market's 27.7%. On settled windows partner moves alone went from 153 to 133 (-13.1%), a change inside the noise of the two counts, so we read it as flat. 14.9% of movers stepped up a level when they changed firm, against 12.9% for the market.

178 firms hired at least one lateral in Real Estate Development in the window. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 20.1% of arrivals (12.9% market-wide), so hiring here is moderately concentrated. Greenberg Traurig ranks first by lateral arrivals, in the 11-20 band.

London ranks first among destination cities with 8.4% of arrivals, followed by New York (7.5%). A change of city came with 17.3% of moves (market 20.5%).

There were 231 open roles in Real Estate Development on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

For a firm planning a hire in Real Estate Development, 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 334 dated deals in Real Estate Development in the 12 months to October 2026 and 883 over the three years to October 2026.

Real estate work is involved in 88.6% of them and Disputes & investigations in 3.2%.

By client industry, Real Estate comes first with 71.0%.

Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 41-60 band.