Venture Capital & Startups: lateral monitor

Sartori & Partners data show 313 lateral moves in Venture Capital & Startups from November 2025 to October 2026. On settled windows the count went from 331 to 329 (-0.6%), which we read as flat. That trails the wider market, which moved +9.0%.

Over the three years to October 2026, 891 lawyers moved in Venture Capital & Startups, 333 of them partners (37.4%). They joined 257 different firms. 10.9% stepped up a level on the move and 19.5% changed city, against 12.3% and 21.6% across the market over the same three years. 60.3% came from firms with 1,000+ lawyers.

Partners account for 31.9% of movers, near the market's 27.7%. Year on year, on windows that end a month early, partner moves alone eased 29.6% (142 to 100). A step up in title came with 10.2% of moves (market 12.9%).

Lateral hires in Venture Capital & Startups were spread across 140 firms. The ten firms at the head of the hiring table took 36.9% of arrivals (12.9% market-wide), so hiring here is concentrated. First on the hiring table is Cooley, with arrivals in the 21-40 band.

New York ranks first among destination cities with 17.3% of arrivals, followed by San Francisco (12.5%). A change of city came with 17.4% of moves (market 20.5%).

There were 301 open roles in Venture Capital & Startups on law-firm career pages on November 11, 2026.

For a firm planning a hire in Venture Capital & Startups, 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 574 dated deals in Venture Capital & Startups in the 12 months to October 2026 and 1,522 over the three years to October 2026.

Venture & growth work is involved in 87.4% of them and M&A in 4.1%.

By client industry, Technology & Software comes first with 44.2%.

Fenwick & West ranks first among advising firms over the period, in the 151-250 band.