Seattle's lateral market continues to thrive, anchored by major tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft that drive substantial demand for corporate, IP, and employment attorneys. The region's unique employment law landscape and growing practice areas make it attractive for career pivots.
BigLaw partner compensation in 2026 will likely continue growing modestly, with equity partners at top-tier firms earning $2-15M+ annually. Non-equity partners typically earn $500K-2M, while practice area and portable business significantly impact earnings potential.
Seattle's employment law market is dominated by regional powerhouses like Perkins Coie, Davis Wright Tremaine, and Lane Powell, with unique opportunities in tech employment law driven by Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. The market offers strong growth potential but requires understanding of Washington's distinctive employment regulations.
Private equity funds focusing on emerging companies create significant lateral opportunities for corporate attorneys. These funds drive demand for specialized legal services in M&A, securities, and regulatory compliance as their portfolio companies scale.
Technology-adjacent practices, employment law, and privacy/data security lead 2026 lateral demand, with significant regional variations. High-growth markets like Charlotte and Seattle offer unique opportunities beyond traditional BigLaw strongholds.
The ideal timing for lateral moves depends on practice area and market dynamics, but generally falls into two windows: January-March for post-bonus moves with strong Q1 budgets, and August-October for year-end hiring pushes.
The M&A associate lateral market remains competitive but active, with strong demand in tech-heavy markets and emerging practice areas. Success depends heavily on timing, deal experience quality, and target market selection.
Partner billable hours vary significantly by firm type and market, with Am Law 100 partners typically billing 2,000-2,400 hours annually. However, partners focus more on business development and client management than pure hour generation.
Fenwick & West is a premier Silicon Valley technology law firm known for venture capital, IPOs, and emerging company representation. They're particularly strong in tech transactions, employment law for tech companies, and intellectual property matters.
Fund finance focuses on subscription facilities and capital call lending to private equity/hedge funds, while traditional banking covers broader commercial lending. Fund finance typically offers higher compensation and more deal velocity, though both practices share core lending documentation skills.
Bankruptcy and restructuring associates handle a mix of transactional and litigation work, from due diligence and document drafting to court filings and creditor negotiations. The practice combines corporate finance skills with specialized bankruptcy law knowledge.
While the terms are often used interchangeably, legal recruiters typically specialize exclusively in law firm and in-house legal placements, while headhunters may work across multiple industries. Legal recruiters generally offer deeper market knowledge and stronger relationships within the legal community.