In the second quarter of 2023, every major legal market in California saw a decline in lateral moves compared to 2022 and a six-year average between 2017 and 2022, according to a new report from Decipher Investigative Intelligence.  

Top markets in the Golden State fared worse than national averages for both partner and associate lateral moves, likely due to a combination of recent austerity measures at large California firms and softer demand in corporate practices.