Lateral Hiring Market Continued to Soften in 2023 — The lateral hiring market showed continued signs of a course correction in 2023, with lateral lawyer hiring down 35% overall, following 2022's decline of 11.5%, according to the latest analyses from NALP's 2023 Lateral Hiring Survey. Read the March 27 press release or the April 2024 research article.

Lateral Hiring Slows in Most Markets in 2022, But Not for Partners (NALP Bulletin+, April 2023) — After an unprecedented increase of 111% in 2021, the 2022 lateral hiring market produced mixed results according to the latest analyses. Read the 2023 article or the press release.

2021's Hot Lateral Hiring Market Notches Record Increase From 2020 — Following a 30% decline in 2020 due in large part to hiring pauses in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, lateral hiring rebounded at an unprecedented rate in 2021, according to analyses of NALP’s Survey on 2021 Lateral Hiring. Overall, lateral hiring was up by 111% compared to 2020, the largest year-over-year increase since NALP began tracking these data 23 years ago. Read the 2022 article or the press release.

How Fall Recruiting for Summer Programs Has Changed Over Time and Fluctuated During Times of Uncertainty (NALP Bulletin+, February 2022) — It may be useful for individual law offices to compare trends over time in their own recruiting ratios — that is, how many callback interviews were required to yield one accepted offer for the summer program.

Overall Lateral Hiring Plummets in 2020, Lateral Associate Hiring Saw Greatest Declines (July 7, 2021 Press Release)

Lateral Hiring Plummets in 2020 (NALP Bulletin+, July/August 2021) — After remaining relatively steady in 2019, lateral hiring fell by more than 30% overall in 2020, driven in large part by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on recruiting.

Lateral Hiring Volume Holds Steady in 2019 (NALP Bulletin, April 2020) — In 2019, aggregate lateral hiring was relatively stable, down by just 0.7 percent compared to 2018.

Lateral Hiring Up in 2018, Largely on the Strength of Associate Lateral Hiring (NALP Bulletin, March 2019) — Lateral hiring volume decreased dramatically during the recession in 2008 and 2009, and then experienced a big rebound as the legal economy recovered in 2010 and 2011. Since then changes have fluctuated from a double-digit loss to double-digit growth. In 2018 aggregate lateral hiring was up by over 14%.

Lateral Hiring Little Changed in 2017 (NALP Bulletin, March 2018) — Lateral hiring volume decreased dramatically during the recession in 2008 and 2009, then experienced a big rebound as the legal economy recovered in 2010 and 2011. Since that time, there have been small year-to-year increases and decreases. In 2017 aggregate lateral hiring was up by less than 2%.

Lateral Hiring Down in 2016 (NALP Bulletin, March 2017) — Lateral hiring volume suffered a dramatic decrease during the recession in 2008 and 2009, and then a big rebound as the legal economy recovered in 2010 and 2011. Since then there have been small year-to-year increases and decreases. In 2016, aggregate lateral hiring was down for the first time since 2013.

Lateral Hiring Up Again in 2015 (NALP Bulletin, April 2016) — Aggregate lateral hiring was up for the second year in a row, finishing out 2015 8.5% higher than in 2014.

Law School-Funded Jobs — 2011-2014 — NALP Bulletin, September 2015

Lateral Hiring Up Modestly in 2014 (NALP Bulletin, April 2015) — After two years of declines, down 6% from 2011 to 2012 and down 7% from 2012 to 2013, aggregate lateral hiring nudged up, finishing out the year not quite 5% higher than in 2013. That modest increase notwithstanding, the level of hiring, averaging 14 lateral hires per office/firm, is the highest in a dozen years.

Lateral Hiring Slows Down for the Second Year in a Row (NALP Bulletin, March 2014) — After two years of year-over-year double digit increases, from 2009-2010 and again from 2010-2011, aggregate lateral hiring has now declined for the second time in a row from 2012 to 2013, finishing out the year just over 7% lower than in 2012. This follows a 6% decline from 2011-2012.