Record Profits Are Hiding a More Selective Legal Hiring Market

LEGAL MARKET BRIEF — A weekly analysis of law firm hiring trends, lateral moves, compensation pressure, and market shifts across BigLaw, midsize, boutique, and government-to-firm transitions.

Weekly market snapshot

• Large firms entered 2026 on the back of unusually strong 2025 profits and rate growth.

• But hiring is becoming narrower, not broader.

• Recruiting continues to move earlier and further outside OCI.

• Merger activity is rising as firms look for scale in a lower-growth environment.

• The lawyers with the most leverage are not generalists. They …