Author name: Esquire

For years, lateral partner hiring was largely framed around one question: What is the size of the book? In 2026,

At the partner level, getting interest is usually not the problem. Most strong profiles will generate conversations. What’s changed is

For the past few years, the legal industry has embraced the idea of a more flexible, hybrid working model. On

At first glance, lateral hiring activity in the legal market can look uneven. Some firms appear cautious. Others are actively

Most partners think in terms of originations. Firms do not. When a lateral move is evaluated, firms are modeling: 👉🏻

U.S. lateral partner hiring surpassed 3,000 moves in 2025, the highest level since 2019. That number matters not because the

Five years ago, lateral partner diligence was comparatively straightforward. Revenue mattered. Portable business mattered. Client relationships mattered. Those factors still

Fridays tend to create space.Not for decisions, but for perspective. One of the clearest patterns we see in the U.S.

In the final quarter of 2025, U.S. law firm mergers and combinations quietly picked up pace. Reporting from ALM and

Most lateral moves that don’t work out fail for the same reason — they were decided too late. Industry research