Technology transactions lawyers: London sets the pace

Sartori & Partners data show that technology transactions lawyer hiring runs through London more than through any other city. In the 12 months to October 2026, London took 22 of the specialty's 146 lateral moves, a 15.1% share that indexes at 163 against the market's city mix. No other city reached that level over the year. Over three years the order holds and the gap is plain: London took 16.1% of moves, New York 8.1% and Paris 6.2%. For a firm building a bench in technology contracts and outsourcing, the search map starts in London, not in New York, and that changes who the firm competes with for each candidate.

The index puts the tilt in one number. London's share of technology transactions moves stands at 163 against the market, where London holds 9.2% of all lateral moves. The technology, data and privacy practice also leans toward London, at an index of 132, but less sharply: London took 12.2% of practice moves and New York 11.2%, with New York's index at 76. The specialty is more concentrated in London than the practice it sits under. Across the whole market the order is reversed: New York took 14.8% of lateral moves in 12 months and London 9.2%.

Technology transactions lawyers also change city more often than most laterals. 27.7% of the specialty's moves involved a new city, against 20.5% across the market and 18.4% in the practice. A London mandate in this field should plan for relocation from the start: candidates who would move cities for the right platform are a real part of the pool, and the offer has to cover the cost of the move as well as the role.

The three-year view confirms the 12-month picture and adds the cities behind London. In the Sartori & Partners lateral database, London took 60 technology transactions moves over three years, 16.1% of 372. New York followed with 8.1%, Paris with 6.2% and Chicago with 5.4%. London's share is 2.0 times New York's.

Set against the practice over the same three years, the pattern sharpens. Across technology, data and privacy, London took 11.9% of moves and New York 9.9%, a much closer race. Paris held 3.2% of practice moves, so its share of technology transactions moves sits 3.0 points higher. Across all practices, Paris took 2.3% of lateral moves over three years. For a firm that wants a European contracts and outsourcing team, Paris ranks third in this specialty, ahead of Chicago, and is the natural second search after London.

Firm size narrows the field further. Firms of 1,000+ lawyers took 61.0% of the specialty's moves to firms of known size in 12 months, and firms of 400-999 lawyers 28.8%. Firms of 150-399 lawyers took only 5.5%, and firms of under 150 lawyers 4.8%. Across the market, firms of 1,000+ lawyers took 53.6% of moves, 400-999 lawyers 23.4% and 150-399 lawyers 13.3%. The practice sits between the two, at 58.4% for the largest class and 10.2% for 150-399 lawyers.

The mid-sized class is where this specialty is thinnest: its share for 150-399 lawyers sits 7.8 points below the market's. Over three years the mix barely moves, with 63.4% of moves going to firms of 1,000+ lawyers. A firm of 150-399 lawyers recruiting here should expect most candidates to hold competing offers from much larger firms, and should lead with what those firms cannot offer: a faster route to running client relationships. Firms of 400-999 lawyers hold a larger share of this specialty than of the market overall, which makes a firm of that size a credible bidder.

Technology transactions hiring is an associate market with more partners in it than the market at large. Associates made up 51.4% of the specialty's lateral moves in 12 months and partners 39.7%, against 58.5% and 27.7% across the market. The practice is close on associates, at 51.2%, and lighter on partners, at 33.2%. Counsel took 8.9% of specialty moves. Partner hiring held flat (+18.4%), with 58 partner moves in the latest settled 12 months against 49 a year earlier. For a firm planning a partner hire, the share is high but the count is small, so each partner search is a hunt for a handful of names rather than a pick from a crowd.

Hiring in the specialty held flat (+18.9%): 145 moves in the latest settled 12 months against 122 in the 12 months before. The technology, data and privacy practice rose 32.6% over the same windows, from 448 to 594 moves. The demand that does exist is concentrated. Sartori & Partners figures show the ten most active hirers took 29.0% of the specialty's individual hires in 12 months, against 19.5% in the practice and 12.9% across the market.

Morrison & Foerster ranks first, in the 6-10 band, followed by DLA Piper, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Reed Smith in the 3-5 band. Over three years the order changes: Bird & Bird, A&O Shearman and CMS sit at the top, each in the 11-20 band. A firm outside these lists is bidding against a known group of repeat buyers, and should time its approach for when their teams are full rather than when they are recruiting.

Start the search in London. Its share of technology transactions moves indexes at 163, above the practice's London index of 132, and no US city matches it over three years. Add Paris for a European team: its three-year share of 6.2% is well above its weight in the practice. Price the role against firms of 1,000+ lawyers, which took 61.0% of moves; a smaller firm wins on scope and pace, not on pay. Expect a pool where partners are 39.7% of moves, so a partner search is realistic, but plan for relocation, since the specialty changes city more often than the market. Volume held flat, so there is no rush of openings to wait out: the timing of a hire depends on the candidate, not on the cycle.