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).
April was the least active month for 2022 in the lateral market, with 57 moves reported. That number was down from a year-high 82 moves in March, and it was also lower than April 2021, when 64 moves were reported.
Only one group moved from one firm to another in April, as one partner and one counsel specializing in Data Privacy moved from Squire Patton Boggs to McDermott Will & Emery. However, two other firms made multiple hires from government in the same practice area. Kirkland & Ellis hired three lawyers from the Securities & Exchange Commission for their Investment Management practice, while Wilson Sonsini Goodrch & Rosati launched a Strategic Risk and Crisis Management practice with hires from the White House and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security.
Other firms reporting multiple moves in January included:
- Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
- DLA Piper
- Greenberg Traurig
- Hogan Lovells
- Holland & Knight
- Husch Blackwell
- Latham & Watkins
Hiring from the government increased in April, as 16 lawyers moved from government positions, up from 8 in March. Four lawyers moved from in-house positions.
Twenty-two of the 57 movers (38.6 percent were women. And contrary to the general trend we have seen over the past year, nineteen of them came in as partners (86.4 percent), compared to 60 percent of men who entered their new firms as partners.
Litigation and Banking/Finance were the most active practice areas, with 7 moves apiece. Other active practice areas included Corporate (6 moves), Investment Management (5), Data Privacy (4), Energy (4), Intellectual Property (4), Government Contracts (3), and White Collar/Investigations (3).
