perspectives.
FEATURED ARTICLE
Cue up the theme from Jaws: A terrifying report from insurance broker Ames & Gough reminds firms of the unexpected and the unknown dangers in the lateral waters.
In 2017, Ames & Gough released a survey of legal professional liability insurers in which nearly half of those polled – representing the majority of the Am Law 100 – reported an uptick in claims stemming from lateral hires. Alarmingly, half of these insurers traced malpractice claims to law firms not adequately resolving a conflict of interest.

Q2 Moves Show A Hot Market for Partners, Associates Frozen in Place
Lateral lawyer moves in Q2 2023 truly show a tale of two cities: Partners continued to move at a brisk pace, while associate moves dropped
2023 Lateral Recruiting: Who’s in the Pool (and What Will They Cost)?
More than halfway into the year, it’s clear that 2023 will, despite some significant headwinds, be another banner year for lateral partner moves: As of
Beyond Red Flags: Deploying Positive Intel from Due Diligence
We admit it: Sometimes it’s tempting to lead with the negative information from pre-hire investigations. Bullying behavior, inflammatory social media posts, fabricated client relationships –
More Women Partners Depart, Compensation Gap Widens in 2022
When looking at the data, 2022 not only confirmed what is known throughout the profession – there aren’t enough women partners, and they still aren’t
Good Turnover or Bad Turnover? Four Ways to Analyze Your Firm
The average turnover for AmLaw 200 firms is 26.3 percent, according to analysis by Decipher Investigative Intelligence – so simply put, for every four lawyers
Q1 Moves Signal End of Gold Rush and Start of Holding Pattern in Hiring
With a quarter of 2023 in the books, it’s safe to say the lateral gold rush has slowed to a mellow stream. According to data
Turnover: Your Secret Weapon for a Better Law Firm
When it comes to law firm turnover, there are two things you must know: It’s higher than you think it is. That doesn’t have to
Who Has the Hot Hand in Lateral Partner Hiring?
While 2021 saw lateral moves more than double year-over-year, fueled by six-figure bonuses for associates and law firms chasing rainmakers, a different class of lawyers
Let’s Talk About Comp: Key Trends and Benchmarks for Lateral Hiring
It’s January, which means it’s comp season for many law firms…soon to be followed by an influx of lateral candidates who were unhappy with their
Lateral Acquisition: The Trouble with Networking
This article appeared in Law.com as Relying On Your Networks for Lateral Referrals is a Losing Proposition on August 23. By Michael Ellenhorn, Decipher Investigative
Laterals and Malpractice: Clear and Present Danger
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, hiring lateral partners was an inherently risky endeavor. In 2017, insurance broker Ames & Gough released a survey of legal
Lateral Recruitment: Just How Portable Is That Book?
Hiring lateral partners can be an irresistible proposition for law firms seeking immediate growth. According to a recent survey by Decipher Investigative Intelligence, 79 percent
Minding Your LPQs: How Firms Should Draft and Deploy the Lateral Partner Questionnaire
The lateral partner questionnaire (LPQ) should not be a mere formality – instead, it should be considered your first line of defense in lateral partner
Lateral Partner Hiring: The Do’s And The Don’ts
The practice of law is centered around the idea of collaboration. A top-performing law firm is like a well-oiled machine, where all parts of the
Lateral Hiring After COVID: How the Cost-Cutting Moves of 2020 May Bring a Lateral Exodus in 2021
It’s been a year and a half since the first COVID-19 lockdowns changed everything. To be sure, many effects of the pandemic are far more