Lateral Partner Recruiting

Who We Are

At Major, Lindsey & Africa, we understand law firm partners. For more than four decades, not only have we worked alongside the world’s most accomplished lawyers, but many of our recruiters have held the very roles our candidates now occupy, including leadership positions within AmLaw 100 firms. Because we have lived the victories, challenges, and realities of partnership ourselves, we act as informed, empathetic advocates for partners worldwide.

That experience also affords us a nuanced understanding of law firms—their strategic priorities, their cultural signatures, and the people who shape them. With 27 offices and more than 200 recruiters worldwide, we maintain a global vantage point on the industry-wide connections between how firms evolve, compete, and position themselves year after year.

Our approach to law firm partner recruiting is distinct. It is grounded in discretion, intellectual rigor, and a commitment to genuine advisership. Curiosity drives us; about firms, about the profession, and most importantly, about the individuals who define it.

Since 1982, we have cultivated enduring relationships with leading partners and firms across the globe. Those relationships are built on trust, candor, and a shared commitment to long-term success. Through this network, we have assembled a deeply interconnected team capable of aligning exceptional partners with the environments where their practices thrive.

Our work is, at its core, about knowing you, hearing you, and walking with you through the next stage of your professional journey.

What We Do

Major, Lindsey & Africa’s Partner Practice Group provides strategic counsel to partners evaluating a transition and to firms seeking to strengthen key practices or expand into new markets. Whether the need involves an individual partner, a cohesive group, or the launch of a new office, we apply a tailored advisory model supported by a disciplined search methodology to identify not simply a placement, but a synergistic fit. 

How We Work

With Partners

• Unbiased advice: Our conversations begin with inquiry, not an agenda. While many recruiting models prioritize the needs of the hiring firm, we begin with you; your practice, your trajectory, your definition of success. Our role is to represent you to the market with clarity and integrity, not to fit you into a predetermined narrative.
• In-depth consultation: For partners actively exploring opportunities, our recruiters provide a sophisticated, research-informed perspective on where your practice is best positioned to grow. We draw on proprietary insights into compensation structures, firm cultures, and market reputation, while also equipping you with current best practices that elevate your candidacy.
• Finger on the pulse: For partners simply assessing their market position, we offer a confidential, informed vantage point. Choosing to stay is as consequential as choosing to move; both decisions deserve the benefit of comprehensive intelligence and an unvarnished view of the industry.
• Profound trust: For decades, partners have entrusted us with their careers because we operate with discretion, reliability, and respect. Your reputation, your legacy, and your long-term satisfaction guide every step of our work.
• Long-standing placements: We focus on engagements that support sustained success for both partner and firm.

With Law Firms

• Market comparisons: We provide exclusive access to current, comprehensive market data, including yearly compensation surveys and trend analyses, enabling firms to benchmark effectively and anticipate shifts in partner mobility.
• Best-practice insights: Our relationships with partners across a global network of recruiters give us a uniquely holistic understanding of what motivates lateral movement. We translate those insights into practical guidance for firms seeking to attract and retain top-tier talent.
• Working in partnership: Our consultants collaborate across geographies and practice areas, leveraging decades of collective experience to identify the right match from a global perspective.
• Tested adaptability: Having advised through multiple cycles of industry transformation in the last 40-plus years, we help institutions evolve with confidence and emerging firms navigate the complexities of growth.

Why Work with MLA

• Know what’s ahead, before anyone else: We see what’s next before others see what’s now. Our data teams synthesize intelligence across markets, practice groups, and regions to identify emerging trends before they become visible to the broader industry.
• Local knowledge; global access: Our footprint spans every major legal market, and our teams on the ground possess deep familiarity with local dynamics. Combined with our global reach, this allows us to operate with both precision and scale, offering local insights in the context of global knowledge.
• World-class relationships: We have built unparalleled relationships with leading partners and firms. We understand not only how they operate today, but how their histories inform their strategies and cultures.
• Trusted reputation: MLA is a recognized and respected name in partner recruiting. When we call, people engage, whether they are firms seeking talent or partners evaluating their next step. That access is a meaningful advantage.

Client and Candidate FAQs

What types of moves do you handle?

The Partner Practice Group focuses on matching law firms with new and lateral partners, as well as partner groups. To explore our additional practice groups, read more about us.

What practice areas do you make placements in?

We have extensive experience placing partners across the full spectrum of practice areas.

What markets do you work in?

We operate globally with offices throughout the U.S., UK, Europe, Asia Pacific, and with expertise and a strong deal history in Latin America. A full list of our offices is available here. If your market is not listed, contact us; we frequently work in jurisdictions where we do not maintain a physical office and are active in emerging markets.

Is my search confidential?

Absolutely. Confidentiality is fundamental to every search we conduct.

Do you have experience with office openings?

Yes. We have completed ______ office openings in the last five years and are adept at placing individuals and groups in environments where both lawyers and firms can thrive.

Do you have experience assisting law firms in mergers?

Yes. Our work frequently involves advising firms as they evaluate and execute mergers, acquisitions, and other forms of strategic integration. Because we maintain long-standing relationships with partners and leadership teams across the market, we are often engaged early in the process. Our role is to provide informed perspective, discreet access to key decision‑makers and a clear understanding of how talent considerations shape the success of any combination.

I'm not sure whether or not I want to move, or whether or not our practice is expanding. Should I still speak with a recruiter?

Yes. Our recruiters provide informed counsel on market trends, firm culture, compensation, and other factors that shape strategic decision-making, whether or not a move ultimately occurs. Most importantly, we become your trusted adviser so that if the time comes to consider a move, we already know you, your practice, and your personal and professional goals.

Ready to Get Started? If you’re searching for the next stage of your career or looking to bring on new talent, MLA’s global search consultants can assist you in finding the right fit.