Explore the lateral market
Swan Legal SearchLateral Market Report
The lateral market, Apr 2026 – Sep 2026
Last 6 months · Associate · California & Seattle
Lateral moves1,608▲ 6% vs previous 6 months
Roles posted1,608▲ 22% vs previous 6 months
Went in-house18%Left for companies or government
Moved the most2024 Class230 moves · 2 years out of law school
Momentum
Moves year over year
This periodSame months last year
View as table
| Month | Moves | A year earlier | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | 304 | Apr 2025 | 219 |
| May 2026 | 258 | May 2025 | 217 |
| Jun 2026 | 337 | Jun 2025 | 227 |
| Jul 2026 | 257 | Jul 2025 | 220 |
| Aug 2026 | 244 | Aug 2025 | 274 |
| Sep 2026 | 208 | Sep 2025 | 349 |
Elevations
Moving up a level
Attorneys who joined their new firm at a more senior title. Shown for every level; elsewhere on this page they count under the level they left.
Associate → Counsel211▲ 18% vs previous 6 months
Counsel → Partner85▲ 23% vs previous 6 months
Associate → Partner47▲ 7% vs previous 6 months
Regions
Where attorneys are landing
Moves in and net change. Select a row to filter.
RegionMoves inNet
Practice demand
Practice areas and specialties
Change is against the previous period. Select a row to filter.
Practice areaMovesChange
SpecialtyMovesChange
Class year
Who's moving vs. who's wanted
Moves and roles posted by JD year. Select a bar to filter.
Share of movesShare of roles posted
Firm movement
Who's gaining lawyers
Firms adding the most lawyers, among those with at least five arrivals.
Gordon & Rees, LLP6161 joined · net +37
Jackson Lewis PC3030 joined · net +13
Fisher Phillips2525 joined · net +15
Seyfarth Shaw LLP2121 joined · net +13
Brown Rudnick LLP1616 joined
Clyde & Co1515 joined
Buchalter1414 joined · net +7
Ballard Spahr LLP1212 joined
Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP1212 joined
Coleman Chavez & Associates LLP1010 joined
Our placements
The firms we place attorneys at
Where our placements land.
37%at AmLaw 100 firms
24%at law firms under 100 lawyers
3–5 yearsmost placed experience
Firm size
- 500+ lawyers44%
- 100–499 lawyers31%
- Under 100 lawyers24%
- In-house2%
Top practices
- Litigation42%
- Labor & Employment19%
- Corporate15%
Top regions
- Los Angeles47%
- San Francisco26%
- Orange County10%
Experience
- 3–5 years47%
- 9+ years23%
- 6–8 years21%
Share of Swan Legal Search placements, last 12 months through Sep 2026. AmLaw 100 by gross revenue; firm sizes from FirmProspects.
Swan Legal Search · swanlegal.com · Market data from FirmProspects, as of October 14, 2026