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.
The lateral market in May was much more active than in April, as 84 partner and counsel moves were reported, up from 58. It was also more active than in May 2022, when 55 moves were reported.
More than a third of the moves were attributed to two major transactions—Lerch Early & Brewer’s hiring of 15 lawyers that formerly practiced at the now defunct Bethesda law firm of Paley Rothman, and the spinoff of 22 Insurance Coverage and Litigation lawyers from Clyde & Co. that formed the new firm of Werner Ahari Mangel.
There were three other group moves reported in May—an International Trade group that left McDermott, Will & Emery for Blank Rome, a Tax and Trusts & Estates group that joined Lowenstein Sandler from Caplin & Drysdale, and a Government Contracts and Litigation group that moved from Reed Smith to Winston & Strawn.
Other firms reporting multiple moves in May were:
- Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
- Crowell & Moring
- Husch Blackwell
- Mayer Brown
- McDermott Will & Emery
- Venable
- Wiley Rein
Nine lawyers came from government positions, while two joined from in-house roles.
Forty-one of the 84 (48.8 percent) were women, with 27 (ten (65.8 percent) entering as partners. That compared to 65.1 percent of the 43 men who joined their new firms as partners.
Litigation was by far the leading practice area represented, with 21 moves.. Other active practice areas included:
- Insurance (8)
- International Trade (8)
- Tax (7)
- Corporate (5)
- Trusts & Estates (4)
- Government Contracts (3)
- Government Relations (3)
- Intellectual Property (3)
- Labor/Employment (3)
