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, please contact TMG’s Steve Nelson (snelson@tmg-dc.com) or Dave Ris (dris@tmg-dc.com).
For the third straight month, lateral movement decreased in August, with a total of 39 moves reported, down from 56 in July and 64 in June. This was entirely predictable, given the month of the year, and the 39 moves still represented more than a 40 percent increase from August 2020, when 27 moves were reported.
Interestingly, there were more moves from in-house positions reported in August (eight) than any other month this year, echoing what has been reported in the legal press. Six moves were reported from government in August, the same number as in July.
Two practice groups moved in August. One was a two-partner Intellectual Property Group that moved from White & Case to Allen & Overy, while the other was an international trade and transactions duo that left Baker Donelson for Womble Bond Dickinson. The only other firms reporting multiple moves in August were Fenwick & West, which re-opened its DC office, and Wilmer Hale, which made two hires from in-house positions.
Eleven of the 39 moves were by women (28.2 percent), but only four of them came in as partners. That contrasted with 23 out of 28 of men who joined their new firms as partners.
In terms of practice area, White Collar/Investigations was the most active practice area, with 5 moves. Other active areas included International Trade (4), Corporate (4), Data Privacy/Advertising (3), and Antitrust (3).
