Private Equity Partner Moves in New York: Selectivity Over Speed
The first half of 2025 has been active for BigLaw lateral hiring overall - but not all practice areas are experiencing the same momentum. As Above the Law reports, our latest Macrae+ data shows that New York’s private equity partner market is moving at a more measured pace, with just nine partner moves in the first six months of the year - less than half the 28 moves recorded in all of 2024.
Rather than signaling a drop in demand, this slowdown reflects a “cautious and deliberate” approach to hiring in a high-stakes sector. As our New York Partner Ryan Belville explained in the piece, the quieter private equity market in 2024 left many partners with less active books of business, making firms more selective. Add in “geopolitical uncertainty, tariffs and interest rates being sticky,” and both sides are taking a more strategic approach.
Despite the tempered pace, private equity deal value is up 28.7% year-to-date, and total transactions have increased by 8.7%. The competition for high-performing talent remains intense - but firms are focusing their resources on partners who can bring immediate impact and sustainable client relationships.
As Ryan noted, “Rates are skyrocketing and comp packages are through the roof. In private equity, firms are making incredibly significant investments, and they’re doing so with some uncertainty - both uncertainty that relationships will port and uncertainty that the sponsors that do port will be active and bring revenue in the door in the first couple years the partner is there.”
Read the full article from Kathryn Rubino for Above The Law here.
For more insights, connect directly with Ryan Belville or reach out to our team at Macrae here.
