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The City’s senior lawyers moved a record number of jobs this year, as the aggressive expansion of US law firms chasing private capital work in London led to more poaching of partners.
According to Edwards Gibson data, law firms in the capital have hired 668 partners so far in 2025, the most moves since the legal recruiter began collecting data in 2007 and a 21 per cent increase on the previous year.
US private equity giant Kirkland & Ellis made the most partner appointments with 19, followed by firms such as White & Case and Baker McKenzie, as US groups continued to invest in growing their private equity practices in London.
“The record-breaking figures continue a three-year bull run of law firm partner hiring in London, which saw more than 600 moves for the first time,” said Scott Gibson, founder of Edwards Gibson. Whose figures account for the moves announced up to 22 December.
Gibson said consolidation and the need to expand investment in technology and data, particularly artificial intelligence, have also contributed to a strong hiring market.
At one time it was rare for partners to be appointed in the City of London, with senior lawyers remaining at the same firm for their entire careers.
But a rebellion in London by big US-founded firms like Kirkland & Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison has set the market on fire. Top US companies have significantly increased headcount in the city in a bid to capture more work from their US private equity clients in Europe.
“We see significant growth potential in Europe’s private capital markets, and we are investing for the long term by developing, promoting and attracting the best talent,” said Matthew Elliott, a member of Kirkland’s executive committee.
The market has been disrupted as large law firms are also making substantial investments in purchasing and developing AI tools, creating pressure to increase profitability with the help of high-billing partners.
Some of the hiring this year was an effort to backfill departing partners. Los Angeles-based firm Paul Hastings has lost 19 partners and hired nine in London this year. The company said its revenue in London is expected to grow 20 percent this year.
UK “Magic Circle” outfit A&O Shearman also had 19 partners move to other firms, a year after the merger of legacy Allen & Overy and New York’s Shearman & Sterling. After the deal, the company also removed 10 percent of its partners.
Lawyers moving from non-partner roles to partnership account for 21 percent of appointments in 2025, reflecting the growing ranks of salaried partnerships, particularly at US firms. Salaried partnerships allow firms to lure more junior lawyers with the offer of a one-day partnership without diluting the equity pool.
Mid-tier companies have also tried to take advantage of the strong market to attract lawyers from specific companies to their side.
“Our people and clients benefit from being significantly different from other companies in the market – we are keen to invest in our international network, not shrink it,” said Emily Monastiriotis, managing partner of Simons & Simons, which was one of the biggest recruiters this year.
“This offering has seen us accelerate the recruitment of partners from the highest-revenue firms.”
However, Gibson predicted this year could be the last of the bullish run – even if factors such as law firm consolidation and more flexible partnership structures keep the rate of partner appointments in London above the long-term average.
“Cyclical tailwinds (such as private capital) will diminish… there are only a number of ‘star’ private equity, debt finance and private fund teams left that have not relocated,” Gibson said.
