2024 National Newsletter: Q1 Review

Q1 2024 Highlights for Am Law 100: 498 moves total; most partner moves occurred in March; most active markets: NYC, D.C. L.A., Chicago, Houston; partners from class of 2006 had the most moves. 

WHAT WE’RE SEEING

2024 Q1 WAS SLIGHTLY MORE ACTIVE THAN 2023:

Activity in Q1 2024 surpassed movement in Q1 of 2023, the most active quarter of last year. The first quarter, with 498 moves, was up 4 percent from Q1 2023 and 35 percent from Q4 of last year. The most active quarter of the past five years was Q1 of 2022 with 562 moves. Q1 2021 and Q1 of this year tied for second. 

NYC, D.C., L.A., CHICAGO & HOUSTON: MOST ACTIVE MARKETS:

NYC was the most active market in Q1, followed by D.C., L.A., Chicago, and Houston. These five markets accounted for 61 percent of partner moves across the country. 

PARTNERS FROM LAW SCHOOL CLASS OF 2006 WERE MOST ACTIVE:

Partners who graduated from law school in 2006 moved the most this quarter followed by classes of ’04 and ’03. Like 2023, classes from ’00 – ’09 accounted for more than 40 percent of total moves.

MOST PARTNERS MOVED IN MARCH:

March was the most active month in Q1, with 200 partner moves, followed by February (177) and January (121). March was also the most active month in Q1 of 2023. However, in 2019 – 2022 the most moves by month varied.