December 2021: Edwards Gibson report quoted in ‘The Lawyer’ Horizon daily newsletter ‘Next year, take better care of your laterals’

December 2021

The Lawyer published an article in their Horizon daily newsletter titled ‘Next year, take better care of your laterals’ on 16th December 2021.  The article explores the recent surge in partner moves in city law firms, utilising figures collected on 14th December 2021 from Edwards Gibson’s 2021 lateral recruitment market analysis so far. In particular, figures from the September- October 2021 Partner Moves edition and the upcoming November-December 2021 Partner Moves edition were included:

‘According to data from Edwards Gibson, just in the period of September to October 2021 there were 87 partner hires – a 23 per cent increase on the 71 of last year and in line with the statistical average for the same period over the past five years, which recorded a median of 86. When it comes to laterals specifically, the agency counted 65, a 38 per cent increase on the 47 of 2020.

During the whole year, the agency counted 456 moves, up almost 22 per cent from 374 in 2020. The numbers speak louder when compared to previous years. 2021 partner moves were 4 per cent above the five-year average of 439. The record is still held by 2017, when KWM’s European vereins went under. The 2021 figure also towers 6 per cent above the 10-year average of 430.’

Read the article here (subscription required).