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.

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
Associate Hiring: Who Has the Hot Hand?
Halfway through the year, 2021 is proving to be The Year of the Associate. In Corporate alone, the AmLaw 100 hired 724 associates as of
2021 Could Be the Year of the Associate: Buyer Beware
Decipher tracked lateral associate moves in the first quarter of 2021 and each of the four years prior. The data shows a market-changing level of
Red Flags on the Rise
In the second year dominated by COVID-19, one major pandemic trend holds true: Fewer lateral lawyers are changing firms, but those who are moving are
Avoiding the Bad Client Surprise
Nearly 20 percent of lateral partner candidates neglect to provide a comprehensive list of their clients to their prospective firms, according to Decipher Investigative Intelligence
Your Next Lateral: Book of Business or Short Story?
Planning to recruit laterals in 2021? Consider this: 62 percent of laterals fail to bring their promised book of business. 73 percent of clients say
How COVID-19 Shaped Lateral Hiring Report
A SPECIAL DECIPHER REPORT How COVID-19 Shaped Lateral Hiring – and What Happens Next Who Moved, Who Didn’t, and What Law Firm Leaders Should Be
San Francisco could be a bright spot in gloomy year for law firm laterals
Citing data collected and analyzed by Decipher, Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw News recently reported projections for lateral partner movement in major U.S. markets over the first
Responding to COVID-19
The COVID-19 outbreak has caused unparalleled challenges and disruption to businesses and organizations worldwide. As the World Health Organization reports, there are still many unknowns about the
The American Lawyer’s Laterals Report Quotes Michael Ellenhorn
Promise and Peril The American Lawyer | February 2020 Michael Ellenhorn was quoted in an article, ‘Promise and Peril’ in The Laterals Report by The American
6 Risk Factors That Leave BigLaw Open To Suits From Within
Law360 | February 7, 2020 With the list of BigLaw heavyweights that have been sued by their own attorneys growing precipitously in recent years, firms
Michael Ellenhorn Quoted by American Lawyer About Partner Exits
December 17, 2019 | American Lawyer Michael Ellenhorn was quoted by American Lawyer in a December 17, 2019 article about Buckley’s insurance plan to cover partner
How To Hire Lateral Partners More Effectively
November 19, 2019 | Law360 In a November 19 article published by Law360, Michael Ellenhorn writes that the practice of hiring lateral partners has become vital
6 Strategies for Attracting Top Talent in a Tough Market
May 2019 Though you know how important it is to hire the top talent in the legal field, the ultra-competitive job market makes it challenging.
These Law Firms Keep Their Partnership Ranks Lean
Law360 May 13, 2019 Law360’s latest head count survey of the largest law firms in the U.S. reveals 19 firms that keep their partnership ranks exclusive,