The Volume of Lateral Associate Hires has Grown Faster than that of Partners

Lateral hires of associates increased each year, from 3,994 between September 2023 and September 2024 to 5,627 in the most recent year, an increase of 41%.



Lateral partner hires rose from 979 to 1,086 in the second year, then held at 1,083, an increase of 11%.

US Headquartered Firms Accounted for Over a Quarter of UK Lateral Partner Hires

Of the 3,176 lateral partner hires at UK 100 and Global 200 firms, 73% were at UK 100 firms and 24% were at AM Law 200 (US) firms, driven heavily by London hires.



A further 3% were at global firms ranked across both. Including these, US firms made 27% of UK lateral partner hires.

Kirkland & Ellis Was the Only US Firm in the Top 10 for Partner Hires

Keystone Law made the most lateral partner hires (147), followed by Knights (113) and Gunnercooke (80). Keystone Law and Gunnercooke both operate a consultant model, where lawyers are self-employed rather than holding equity.



Kirkland & Ellis was the busiest US firm, ranking seventh with 59 partner hires. Paul, Weiss (41) and Paul Hastings (37) were the only other US firms in the top 20.

Firms are Tending Towards More Experienced Hires

31% of partner hires were ‘day one’ partners. These are lawyers who moved into a partner role at a new firm from a non-partner position.



The ‘day one’ share fell each year across the UK, from 34% to 28% of partner hires, while hires of existing partners grew, suggesting firms are increasingly favouring proven partners.

‘Day one’ partners made up 33% of partner hires at UK 100 firms and 23% at AM Law 200 firms. The share was 36% outside London and 29% inside of London.

Kirkland & Ellis Had the Highest Share of ‘Day One’ Partner Hires

63% of Kirkland & Ellis’s partner hires were ‘day one’ partners. Clarke Willmott (60%) and Stephenson Harwood (54%) followed.



At the other end, ‘day one’ partners made up only 7% of Latham & Watkins’ partner hires, and 10% at both Birketts and Mills & Reeve.

London Accounted for Almost Two Thirds of UK Lateral Hires

London saw 2,052 lateral partner hires and 8,775 lateral associate hires, around 65% and 60% of the UK totals.



Manchester ranked second for both, with 197 partner and 1,128 associate hires. Bristol was third for associate hires but fourth for partner hires, behind Birmingham.

Together, the five busiest cities after London made 605 lateral partner hires and 3,255 lateral associate hires. London made more than three times as many partner hires as the five combined.

London to Bristol Was the Most Common Partner Relocation Pipeline

London to Bristol was the most common route for lateral partners moving between UK cities, with 14 moves. More than twice as many partners moved from London to Bristol as from Bristol to London (6). Birmingham to London, London to Manchester and London to Birmingham followed, with 5 moves each.

Litigation Ranked Among the Top Three Practices in All of the Busiest Cities

Litigation was one of the three busiest practices for lateral hiring in each of the six busiest UK markets.

In London, Litigation led partner hiring (405) and Corporate led associate hiring (1,639). Insurance led both partner (45) and associate (242) hiring in Manchester. Real Estate was the busiest practice in Birmingham and Edinburgh. In Edinburgh, it made up 30% of associate hires.

In Bristol and Leeds, Real Estate and Litigation were almost level for associate hires, with 139 and 138 in Bristol, and 90 and 88 in Leeds.

A Different Firm Led Lateral Hiring in Each of the Busiest Cities

Each of the six busiest UK markets had a different firm making the most lateral partner and associate hires.



Kirkland & Ellis made the most in London (275), including 59 partner hires, while Linklaters (230) and Clifford Chance (229) made the most associate hires. DWF led in Manchester (173), Burges Salmon in Bristol (128), Gateley in Birmingham (57), Addleshaw Goddard in Leeds (64) and Brodies in Edinburgh (81).