This is the latest update on lateral partner and counsel moves in the Washington, D.C. area. The data included in these reports is primarily derived from Firm Prospects LLC. For more details and analysis, including a list of laterals for the month, please contact Steve Nelson.
Lateral hiring skyrocketed in April, as 75 partner and counsel moves were reported in the D.C. metro area, up from 45 in March. As a result, lateral hiring in 2024 moved slightly ahead of last year’s pace.
Six group moves were reported in April:
- Three White Collar/Investigations and Environmental Crisis partners (two in DC) who joined Hogan Lovells from Baker Botts.
- Four Consumer Finance lawyers who joined Husch Blackwell’s Virtual Link Office in DC from Saul Ewing.
- Five Intellectual Property lawyers who joined Merchant & Gould from Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt.
- Three Consumer Class Action and Product Liability partners (two in DC) who left Crowell & Moring for Morgan Lewis & Bockius.
- Two International Arbitration counsel who joined Paul Hastings from White & Case, following a partner who moved to Paul Hastings a month earlier.
- Five Financial Services lawyers (two in DC) who joined Simpson Thacher & Bartlett from Skadden, Arps.
Other firms reported multiple hires included:
- Baker & Hostetler
- Foley & Lardner
- Holland & Knight
- Greenberg Traurig
- King & Spalding
- Kirkland & Ellis
- Nixon Peabody
- Orrick
- Wiley Rein
Fifteen government lawyers entered private practice in April, while five lawyers moved from in-house positions.
Twenty-eight women were among the 75 movers (37.3 percent), with half entering as partners. That compared to 35 of the 48 men (72.3 percent) joined their new firms as partners.
Banking/Financial Services and Intellectual Property were the leading practices represented, with 10 movers apiece. Other active practice areas included Litigation (9), International Trade (7), White Collar/Investigations (6), Antitrust (5), Investment Management (3), Data Privacy (3), Government Relations (3), Corporate (3), and International Arbitration (3).
In the latest episode of Steve Nelson’s podcast, Steve’s Rules, Steve reviews the elements of a legal business plan, whether for lawyers coming out of government or those currently in private practice. compensation issues faced by laterals when they transition to new firms. Other topics recently addressed by the podcast include:
- A roadmap through the Lateral Partner Questionnaire
- Compensation issues faced by laterals
- The myth of portable business
- The difference between retained and contingency search
- Developing your firm’s unique selling points
The podcast is available on a number of platforms, including Buzzsprout, Spotify, and Apple.
