Lateral Hiring Stays Hot: Q2 Associate Moves Up 19%, Partner Selectivity Returns

AmLaw 100 associate lateral hiring closed Q2 2026 at 1,940 US hires — up 18.7% from Q2 2025 and 43% from Q2 2024, the strongest spring in the Mosaic dataset. Partner lateral moves in Q1 2026 hit 979 — the highest in six years according to Law360 Pulse data — before pulling back 12.4% in Q2, though Q2 levels still ran 1.4% above the prior year. Pirical data shows that 75% of Q2 partner hires were sourced from within the Am Law 200, up from 60% in Q1, suggesting firms are leaning on established BigLaw pedigree rather than reaching into boutiques or regional markets. Separately, the volume of lateral moves from Am Law 1–50 to 101–150 firms has increased 45% over three years, signaling a sustained talent redistribution toward the upper tier of the second hundred. With August and September historically rebounding after a summer dip, Q4 lateral activity is expected to accelerate again as firms compete for revenue-generating partner talent before year-end.