New Macrae+ Life Sciences Partner Report Finds Accelerated Partner Movement in Boston, Washington, DC and California
Macrae has published its latest Macrae+ Life Sciences Partner Report, analyzing partner movement across five key life sciences markets - London, New York, Boston, Washington, DC, and California - from 2024 and 2025.
The report finds that Big Law investment in life sciences practices has remained selective but consistent, even as broader hiring patterns fluctuate. Macrae recorded a total of 123 life sciences partner moves over the period with accelerated movement in 2025, reflecting sustained demand for specialist expertise despite broader market caution.
Market Overview
The life sciences legal market remained active across 2024 and 2025, underpinned by regulatory intensity and innovation-led growth.
In the US, scrutiny from the FDA, DOJ, FTC and HHS continued to drive demand for senior regulatory, investigations and compliance partners, particularly in Washington, DC and New York. California and Boston remained focal points for legal work tied to biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and digital health, while cross-border mandates continued to increase demand for expertise in international IP licensing, regulatory coordination and dispute resolution.
In the UK, government policy and the Life Sciences Sector Plan helped sustain activity in London across regulatory change, clinical trials, IP protection, data use, investment screening and M&A.
Key Findings
Increased activity in 2025 – Boston recorded 17 partner moves in 2025, up from 9 in 2024. Washington, DC rose from 17 to 21, and California from 11 to 13. London remained stable, with 9 moves in 2024 and 8 in 2025, while New York declined from 12 to 6.
Lateral hiring dominated across all five markets – Across 2024 and 2025, lateral hiring was the dominant form of partner movement in every market analysed. External promotions featured modestly across all markets, while government-to-law-firm transitions were concentrated almost entirely in Washington, DC. In-house to law firm moves were minimal across the board.
Gender patterns varied significantly by market – In Boston, women represented 65% of partner moves in 2025, compared with 37% of the current life sciences partner base. New York saw a marked year-on-year shift, with women accounting for 58% of moves in 2024 but just 17% in 2025. London recorded the highest female share recorded across any market in either year, with women accounting for 88% of partner moves in 2025.
There is a growing demand for crossover expertise in life sciences and data governance – In the US, state-level privacy regimes and increased scrutiny of health data and AI-driven tools reinforced demand for specialist partners with crossover expertise in life sciences and data governance. Meanwhile, London’s partner movement was focused primarily on corporate and IP.
Targeted platform-building shaped firm dynamics – Among firms ranked in the Chambers Life Sciences USA and UK 2026 guides, the report highlights targeted investment rather than broad expansion. Kirkland featured prominently across New York, Boston, Washington, DC and California, while Polsinelli recorded strong net growth in Washington, DC and California. Morgan Lewis, Sidley, Foley and Fenwick & West also appeared among the top net gainers.