Record Partner Moves in Private Equity
A recent Solicitors Journal article reports on the findings of Macrae+'s London Private Equity Report, highlighting a historic year for partner movement in London's private equity legal market.
The report recorded 50 partner moves in London's PE sector in 2025 - nearly double the 28 seen in 2024. The piece draws out several notable trends from the data. Women accounted for 30% of partner movements, up from 7% in 2024 and the highest proportion in the tracking period, though the percentage of women among internal promotions fell to 13% from 48% the previous year. UK firms outperformed their US counterparts in net growth for the first time, with both The Lawyer 1-15 and 16-50 groups achieving net positive growth, while the AmLaw 50 recorded zero net growth in 2025. The composition of hiring also shifted: lateral hires fell from 89% of moves in 2024 to 66% in 2025, with external promotions and in-house transitions now accounting for over a third of all moves.
Looking ahead, the article draws on Macrae+'s analysis to note that demand for partner teams with strong sponsor relationships remains robust into 2026, despite earlier deal activity slowdowns. Firms are expected to focus increasingly on PE real estate and infrastructure, and economic uncertainty is driving a preference for high-profile group hires over individual appointments where the pool of well-established talent remains limited.
Read the full article in Solicitors Journal: Record Partner Moves in Private Equity.
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