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 in DC picked up in August as 58 partner and counsel moves were reported, up from 50 in July. There were 46 moves reported in August 2023.
Nine government lawyers joined D.C.-area firms in August, up from five in July. As we have previously noted, hiring from government has significantly slipped in 2024.
Nine other lawyers moved from in-house positions in August, while one moved from Academia.
Two group moves were reported in August: One was a three-partner Health Care group (two in D.C.) that moved from Foley Hoag to Manatt Phelps & Phillips. The other was a three-partner Intellectual Property group that joined the Arlington, VA office of Stites & Harbison from Cantor Colburn.
Other firms reported multiple hires included:
- Brown Rudnick
- Clark Hill
- McGuire Woods
- Sheppard Mullin
Twenty of the movers (34.5 percent) were women, with eight (40 percent) entering as partners. That compared to 23 of the 38 men (60.5 percent) who joined their new firms as partners.
Intellectual Property was the leading practice represented, with 11 movers. Other active practice areas included Litigation (6), Investment Management (4), Health Care (4), Corporate (3), Data Privacy (3), Energy (3), and Government Contracts (3).
In the latest episode of Steve Nelson’s podcast, Steve’s Rules, Steve and co-host Murray Coffey discuss how some law firms are considering professionals responsible for Practice Management, Legal Project Management, and Client Value in searches for Chief Operating Officer positions. Other recent topics 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
- How to respond to recruiter inquiries
The podcast is available on a number of platforms, including Buzzsprout, Spotify, and Apple.
