The Recorder: Lateral Partner Hiring in California Softened During the First Quarter

A recent article by Samson Amore for The Recorder examines the slowdown in lateral partner hiring among Am Law 100 firms with a California presence in the first quarter of 2026, as firms grow more deliberate about who they bring on board.

Drawing on Macrae's latest Legalscape report, the piece highlights a year-over-year dip in lateral partner moves — 72 in Q1 2026 versus 90 the year prior — alongside firms raising the bar on what they expect from incoming partners, particularly around the size of a partner's book of business. The data also points to a notable shift: corporate lateral hiring nearly matched litigation for the first time since Macrae began tracking the market, while labor and employment, real estate, finance, and energy practices saw gains.

Macrae partner Sarah Morris, who leads on the West Coast, comments in the piece on how firms are recalibrating their approach to lateral growth:

"The overarching thing I've seen is the standards have gone up. They're still hiring, the firms are still looking ... But maybe before they'd say, 'Sure, we'd love to see someone with $3 million to $4 million in business,' now they want someone with $8 million to $10 million."

The article also draws on a separate Macrae+ report tracking private equity lateral partner moves in California, identifying which firms led the way on PE additions in the first quarter.

Read the full article from Samson Amore for The Recorder: Lateral Partner Hiring in California Softened During the First Quarter.

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