The first half of 2025 has witnessed significant lateral movements within the legal industry, as major law firms strategically bolster their ranks by acquiring prominent teams from competitors. These moves reflect a dynamic legal market where firms are aggressively expanding their capabilities across various practice areas and geographies.
In January, Kirkland & Ellis announced the opening of a new office in Philadelphia, bringing over five partners from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Leading this transition is Allison Brown, who specializes in product liability, mass torts, and commercial litigation. Additional partners include Jessica Davidson and Christopher Cox in New York, and Geoffrey Wyatt and Nina Rose in Washington, D.C. Brown’s notable clients have included Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon, and Colgate-Palmolive. Kirkland, headquartered in Chicago and recognized as the world’s largest law firm by revenue, continues its global expansion with the recent openings in Miami, Salt Lake City, Austin, Frankfurt, and Riyadh. The Philadelphia legal market has seen increased activity, with firms like Polsinelli and Goodwin Procter also establishing a presence in the city through strategic hires. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/law-firm-kirkland-opens-philadelphia-office-with-skadden-hires-2025-01-21/?utm_source=openai))
In April, Sidley Austin made a notable addition by recruiting David Perkins, a seasoned private equity lawyer who co-led the private equity group at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Perkins, whose former clients include American Securities, Brookfield, ECN Capital, Westbrook Partners, and White Mountains Insurance Group, is expected to bolster Sidley’s private equity practice, particularly with middle-market clients. This move represents a significant shift, as Cravath has historically seen low partner attrition and few outside hires. Sidley has been actively expanding, recently bringing on several other partners in New York including M&A lawyers Andrew Fadale from Milbank, George Hunter from Jones Day, and Amy Rubin from Weil, Gotshal & Manges as co-chair of its employee benefits and executive compensation practice. Sidley’s chair, Yvette Ostolaza, emphasized Perkins’ strong client base and viewed his addition as strategic for the firm’s growth. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/cravath-private-equity-leader-joins-rival-law-firm-sidley-2025-04-08/?utm_source=openai))
In the Asia-Pacific region, China’s leading law firms, known as the “red circle,” are capitalizing on the retreat of US law firms from Hong Kong and China by hiring experienced lawyers and partners from their international competitors. With western firms facing reduced financial activity in the region, several US firms have closed offices in Beijing and Shanghai. In contrast, top Chinese firms are expanding and offering more competitive rates, often significantly lower than those of their western rivals. They now lead around 20% of the new listings in Hong Kong, up from 15% in 2018. Chinese companies are also favoring secondary listings in Hong Kong rather than overseas, further benefiting domestic law firms. Consequently, senior lawyers from prominent US and UK firms have transitioned to Chinese firms, bringing their teams along to focus on capital markets and finance. Although international firms still possess certain advantages, such as expertise in US law for IPOs, the appeal of Chinese firms grows due to their competitive fees and increasing market competence. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/5508147f-43c9-4cfe-9b35-b95d2e87f264?utm_source=openai))
These strategic team acquisitions underscore a broader trend in the legal industry: firms are increasingly focusing on lateral hires to enhance their market position and service offerings. This approach reflects the competitive nature of the legal market, where the ability to attract and integrate top talent is crucial for sustained success.