CounselThe roles worth having never appear on job boards.
Placements Since 2016
Across AmLaw 200, boutique, and in-house
Retention at 18 Months
Industry average sits at 61%
Day Average Time-to-Offer
From first conversation to signed offer
The market moves quietly. So do we.
Find Your Market ValueWhere we place.
What it costs to wait.
Each card shows live placement data. Tap any card to read an anonymized placement story — names changed, outcomes real.
M&A / Corporate Transactions
Private equity, leveraged buyouts, cross-border deals
Placements
612
Median Range
$195K – $340K
Global M&A volume up 10%+ in 2024
Placement Story
AmLaw 20 · New York
Senior Associate → Partner Track
"Represented target-side in a $2.1B acquisition. Needed a platform with origination capacity. Placed at an AmLaw 20 firm within 11 days of first call."
Time to Offer
11 days
IP Litigation
Patent trials, PTAB proceedings, trade secret disputes
Placements
489
Median Range
$185K – $310K
8% of all partner hires in 2025 — 3rd highest
Placement Story
AmLaw 50 · Silicon Valley
Counsel → Partner
"PTAB specialist with 14 jury trials. Wanted a firm where IP was a profit center, not a service group. Closed in 19 days."
Time to Offer
19 days
Regulatory & Compliance
AI governance, data privacy, ESG, enforcement defense
Placements
374
Median Range
$160K – $270K
Gov't-to-firm hiring up ~200% YoY in Q1 2025
Placement Story
Fortune 100 · Washington D.C.
DOJ Trial Attorney → Senior Counsel
"Post-election transition. Enforcement background in antitrust. Three firms competing. Placed in-house at a Fortune 100 within 28 days."
Time to Offer
28 days
Real Estate & Land Use
Development, CMBS, zoning, distressed assets
Placements
291
Median Range
$175K – $295K
Distressed asset work accelerating in 2025
Placement Story
Regional Firm · Chicago
Associate → Senior Associate
"Boutique RE firm. Wanted larger deal flow without losing autonomy. Placed at a 60-attorney shop with an active development practice. 34 days."
Time to Offer
34 days
Complex Commercial Litigation
Class actions, securities, antitrust, white collar
Placements
738
Median Range
$200K – $380K
36% of all associate lateral moves in 2025
Placement Story
AmLaw 10 · New York
Mid-Level Associate → Lateral at AmLaw 10
"Securities fraud background, top-10 law school. Wanted a platform with appellate capacity. Received three offers. Closed in 9 days."
Time to Offer
9 days
In-House & General Counsel
GC, Deputy GC, Chief Compliance Officer roles
Placements
343
Median Range
$222K – $270K
GC roles rarely posted — most filled privately
Placement Story
Healthcare Co. · Nashville
Partner → General Counsel
"12-year BigLaw partner. Ready for the operator side. Placed as GC at a $4B healthcare company. Confidential process from start to signed offer: 38 days."
Time to Offer
38 days
The market has shifted.
Most candidates haven't.
Lateral hiring in 2025 is not about volume — it's about velocity and precision. AmLaw 200 firms are moving faster, with less tolerance for indecision. Firms that hesitate lose candidates to faster competitors.
The most consequential moves are happening outside the job boards entirely — negotiated privately, closed quickly, and built on relationships that took years to cultivate. That's the market Counsel operates in.
Litigation leads hiring at every level. Regulatory and compliance roles are surging as firms absorb talent from federal agencies. M&A is recovering with deal volume up 10%+. If you're in any of these markets, you have more leverage than you know.
"Profits-per-lawyer climbed 8% in 2024 despite headcount retrenchment. Firms know exactly who they want — they're just not advertising it."
— Counsel Research, Q1 2026
Partner hires in 2025
5-year high — up 10% from 2024
Associate laterals in litigation
Dominant practice area across all levels
Attorney unemployment rate
vs. 4.4% national average in 2025
Gov't-to-firm hiring surge
Q1 2025 YoY — regulatory talent in demand
Sources: Law360 Lateral Hiring Report 2025, BLS Occupational Outlook, Counsel internal placement data
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Anonymized. Verified. Real.
Complex Litigation
Partner-track Associate → Lateral, AmLaw 30
Closed in
14 days
"I wasn't looking. Then Counsel called with something I hadn't considered — a platform that made sense for where I want to be in five years, not where I am now."
M&A / Corporate
Equity Partner → General Counsel
Closed in
31 days
"The process was completely confidential. My current firm had no idea I was exploring. Counsel handled everything — and closed faster than I thought possible."
IP Litigation
Senior Associate → Senior Associate + 38% compensation increase
Closed in
22 days
"They knew the market better than I did. Told me I was $40K below market before we even discussed options. That alone was worth the call."