Edwards Gibson’s Market-Leading Data Featured in the Financial Times

Edwards Gibson is delighted that its industry-leading end-of-year analysis of London partner moves has been featured by the Financial Times in consecutive years in Suzi Ring’s article: “Law firms hire record number of City partners as US players expand aggressively.” This recognition reinforces Edwards Gibson’s position as the go-to source for authoritative insight into the legal recruitment market.

The Financial Times reported that City partners moved firms in record numbers during 2025, driven by the aggressive expansion of US law firms seeking private capital work in London. According to Edwards Gibson’s figures, 668 partners were hired in London in 2025 — the highest number since we began tracking moves in 2007 and a 21% increase on last year. This milestone marks the continuation of an extraordinary three-year bull run in partner hiring, which for the first time ever saw more than 600 moves in a single year.

Our data showed that US firms dominated the hiring tables, with Kirkland & Ellis leading at 19 hires, followed closely by Addleshaw Goddard, Baker McKenzie, Fladgate and White & Case. The article highlights how top US firms are investing heavily in London to service their private equity clients across Europe, significantly reshaping the competitive landscape and creating unprecedented mobility among senior lawyers.

Scott Gibson, director at Edwards Gibson, provided expert commentary on the forces driving this surge, noting that consolidation and the need to invest in technology and data—particularly artificial intelligence—are fuelling demand for high-billing partners. In addition, Gibson offered a note of caution, predicting that this may represent the final phase of the three-year escalating bull run. “The cyclical tailwinds will ebb… there are only so many ‘star’ private equity, debt finance and private funds teams left who have not moved,” Gibson observed. While structural factors such as law firm consolidation and flexible partnership models will keep hiring above long-term averages, the extraordinary pace of recent years is unlikely to continue indefinitely.

Edwards Gibson is proud that its data and analysis continue to shape the narrative on the London legal market. Our insights remain at the forefront of understanding the trends driving partner mobility and law firm strategy.

Read the full Financial Times article here (paywall).