Mixed market trends impact partner hiring

According to the new data from Macrae’s Legalscape reports, the landscape of lateral partner hiring has experienced mixed momentum across major legal markets in the first half of 2026. While New York reached its highest volume of online partner moves during this period, London mirrored levels from 2024, and Washington, DC and California saw declines from their stronger positions in 2025. The variation in partner movements also revealed distinct shifts in practice-area demand among these regions.

In London, 240 partner moves were recorded during H1 2026, a dip from the 310 in H1 2025 but consistent with the 237 moves seen in H1 2024. The dominant practice area, Corporate, accounted for a significant 40% of these moves, while Litigation showed growth, rising to 15%. Beneath these top practices, Bankruptcy continued its upward trend, reaching 6%. Notably, the male share of moves reached 72%, reflecting a steady yearly increase.

Similarly, New York had a remarkable H1 with 358 partner moves, up from 313 in H1 2025 and 270 in H1 2024. Here, Corporate led the demand, representing 39% of the moves, while Litigation saw a decline to 14%. Despite this, Tax, Trusts & Estates emerged as a notable growth area, doubling its share to 7%, and Bankruptcy also showed an increase to 6%. The AmLaw 25 maintained strength in this market, recording a second consecutive high-performance response.

In Washington, DC, there were 197 partner moves, a decrease from the 2025 peak of 249 yet still above the 166 moves of H1 2024. Notably, IP & Technology saw an upturn, capturing its highest H1 share at 19%, alongside Government & Public Policy at 9%. Here, Litigation remained the largest practice area at 25%, while Corporate fell to 12%. Overall, the AmLaw 25 registered positive results with a net gain of 16 partners, in contrast to the AmLaw 50, which experienced its first negative H1 with a net loss of six partners.

California's partner hiring moderated, recording 146 moves, down from 175 in H1 2025 but higher than the 132 in H1 2024. The Corporate sector remained stable at 27%, while Litigation declined notably to 20% from 27% in 2025. Additionally, Labor & Employment showcased substantial growth, doubling its share to 12%. Performance varied; the AmLaw 25 suffered a net loss of 11 partners for the second consecutive period, while the AmLaw 100 reported a positive net gain of 21 partners.

The report thus underscores the varied and evolving landscape of partner hiring across different legal markets, highlighting the importance of specific practice areas in shaping these movements. As trends fluctuate, firms will need to adapt to the changing dynamics influencing partner demand and recruitment strategies.