Why Most Lateral Moves Underperform (And how to avoid it)
There's been a lot of data published this week on record-level lateral partner hiring. What's discussed less frequently is the flip side: lateral underperformance remains a persistent and well-documented issue nationwide.
After years placing partners, and before that, as a practicing attorney and managing partner myself, I've seen both sides of this equation and the research is clear: failed lateral moves rarely fail because the lawyer wasn't talented. They fail because the platform didn't support them.
A recent analysis from Reuters got this right. Firms that consistently succeed with laterals do three things differently:
They're disciplined about fit. Not just practice fit — cultural fit, workflow fit, referral network fit. A great litigator in a collaborative firm culture can be a very different lawyer in a siloed one.
They sell opportunity, not just compensation. The firms winning the best laterals aren't always paying the most, they're articulating why their platform is ground for growth. That story has to be credible and specific.
They invest in integration. Early wins, visible institutional support, clear expectations. Without these, even strong hires struggle to gain traction in year one; when the window to succeed is widest.
For partners evaluating a move: ask your recruiter and the firms you're considering about all three of these. The answers will tell you more than any financial projection.