1. Strategic Alignment: Identifying Success Before the Move
Before a lateral partner joins a new firm, both the firm and the partner must share a clear vision of what success looks like. Whether the goal is to expand into a new market, support existing client relationships, or strengthen a particular practice area, alignment on strategic priorities is critical.
Britt Schmidt, Chief Legal Talent and Inclusion Officer at Vorys, stresses the importance of setting expectations early. “In terms of successful integration, it all comes back to defining what success looks like,” she said. “We spend time up front discussing this with each lateral partner because success can mean different things depending on the reasons for the hire. It’s about aligning their goals with the firm’s strategic objectives.”
Similarly, David McClune, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer at Davis Polk & Wardwell, highlights the risks of misalignment: “Lateral hiring is inherently risky, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. It’s crucial to have a clear understanding of what success looks like for both the firm and the lateral partner. This involves setting realistic goals and ensuring that the partner’s practice aligns with the firm’s strategic priorities.”
A key part of this alignment is integrating the lateral’s practice into the firm’s existing platform. A formal client cross-selling strategy should be developed as part of the lateral’s integration plan, with buy-in from all relevant stakeholders. This includes identifying how the lateral’s clients can benefit from the firm’s broader capabilities and determining where existing firm clients can leverage the lateral’s expertise.
This process requires coordination between the lateral partner, practice group leaders, business development teams, and key partners across the firm. Without this level of engagement, laterals may struggle to find their place within the firm’s business development ecosystem, limiting cross-selling opportunities and diminishing their long-term impact.
Lilit Asadourian, Partner at Barnes & Thornburg, points to that kind of engagement in describing how she assessed whether a firm was truly committed to her success. “I could tell right away that I was talking to a firm that was serious about me. It was clear because they were moving quickly, they were moving deliberately, and they had a defined vision of how I would fit into their strategic goals,” she said. “This alignment was crucial because it showed me that they valued my practice and were committed to supporting my growth.”
Firms that define success early, create a clear roadmap, and integrate laterals into the firm’s broader client strategy set the foundation for a smooth and effective transition.
2. Relationship Building: Proactively Facilitating Connections
Lateral integration is not just about business strategy; it is about people. The most successful laterals establish strong internal networks quickly, yet many firms take a passive approach, assuming that lateral partners will navigate the firm’s culture and relationships on their own.
Firms that take a hands-on approach to facilitating connections see better outcomes. At Vorys, for example, the firm ensures laterals are introduced to key stakeholders early. “We call them colleague connections,” Schmidt said. “We’ve already identified what they should see in a ninety-day plan and the key people they need to meet early on. We are putting those meetings on their calendar for them and act as matchmakers before they even get here.”
Sarah Kelly-Kilgore, Partner at Holland & Knight LLP, underscores the importance of internal visibility. “The more that you’re able to speak about your practice internally and connect with new colleagues to let them know you’re there and available, the better,” she said.
The scope of integration required of a successful transfer can be extensive. Joseph Welch, Partner at Blank Rome LLP, notes that he has opened over one hundred matters in the couple of years since he joined the firm. “This client demand has required me to integrate very quickly and get to know as many of my law partners and colleagues as possible. While great legal support is essential for growing and maintaining a sizable book of business, the firm’s business and marketing teams are equally important for continued success,” he said. “I enjoy regular (often weekly) meetings with our firm’s marketing and business support teams to make sure I’m reaching the right audiences and staying ahead of developing legal needs.”
Early introductions help new partners feel confident in their transition, Anna Maria Vitek, Executive Director of Lateral Partner Integration and Strategy at DLA Piper, explains. “We have dedicated support teams who can help them with a variety of different things on the logistical side. We have meetings scheduled as soon as they’re ready to join the firm where we introduce them to the administrative team that will support their onboarding and integration. This coordinated effort really helps our laterals feel supported and provides them with reassurance that they have made the right decision to join DLA Piper.”
Strong internal relationships accelerate integration, foster collaboration, and lay the foundation for long-term success.
3. Structured Oversight: Managing the Integration Process
Many lateral hires struggle not because they lack talent or business potential, but because their integration is left unstructured. A well-designed lateral integration program includes key milestones, regular check-ins, and clear performance metrics.
Patrick S. Tracey, Partner at Saul Ewing LLP, shares how a structured onboarding program made his transition seamless: “The firm’s onboarding program provided a comprehensive road map and introduction to the firm’s culture, policies, and initiatives. The guidance provided both nationally and locally from fellow partners, associates, and staff was critical to the transition.”
Taking ownership of the transition can accelerate success, says Licia Vaughn, Executive Director, Lateral Partner Integration, Strategy & Transitions at DLA Piper. “I had a corporate partner who joined from in-house and ramped up quickly because he approached the firm as his most valuable client. He was proactive and took everything seriously, including the plan we provided, which made his integration seamless,” she said.
McClune noted that rewarding leadership also helps drive successful integration efforts: “At a previous firm, we had a process where sponsoring partners were responsible for regularly checking in with laterals, especially in the first few months. This proactive management was incentivized and helped identify and address roadblocks early on.”
Firms that prioritize lateral success create incentives that reinforce the right behaviors. Recognizing a sponsoring partner’s role in a lateral’s success in compensation discussions encourages active engagement in the integration process. Aligning financial incentives with partner collaboration and client-sharing strengthens firmwide participation and fosters a culture where laterals are positioned to contribute more effectively. Individuals responsible for lateral integration, such as business development professionals or integration managers, are similarly more invested in outcomes when their compensation reflects measurable success. When integration is treated as a strategic function rather than an administrative task, firms maximize the impact of their lateral hires and strengthen long-term retention.
4. Measuring Success: Accountability in Lateral Integration
Without ongoing accountability and continuous refinement of the recruiting and onboarding approach, even a well-structured integration plan can fall short. Clearly defining responsibility for lateral success is critical. Firms often distribute ownership of integration across multiple departments—recruiting, business development, practice group leadership—without a single person or team ensuring that the process stays on track. When no one is specifically accountable, integration can become an afterthought, and the lateral’s long-term success is left to chance.
Firms that take a data-driven approach to lateral hiring and integration can refine their strategy over time. McClune underscores the importance of evaluating hiring decisions carefully and making adjustments based on real outcomes. “So much of the success of a lateral program comes down to the due diligence or recruiting process,” he said. “Firms can rush to make quick decisions to plug strategic gaps without taking the investment time to do proper due diligence.”
Firms that systematically track client retention, revenue growth, internal engagement, and business development activity can identify patterns in lateral success and failure. Metrics such as client follow-through on expected transitions, the depth of client relationships, and the lateral’s ability to generate new firmwide opportunities can reveal when an attorney overestimated their client loyalty or misunderstood client motivations. By analyzing these patterns—whether related to practice fit, integration effort, or individual approach—firms can refine their hiring strategy and provide targeted support to laterals at risk of underperformance.
Elevating Lateral Integration as a Competitive Advantage
Lateral hiring is not just about adding talent; it is about making strategic investments in people that strengthen a firm’s long-term trajectory. The firms that approach integration with the same rigor as recruitment position themselves not only to retain top laterals but to maximize their contributions in a way that enhances firmwide success.
Integration is most successful when there is a clear owner of the process—an individual or team dedicated to overseeing the integration journey. While collaboration among firm leadership, practice groups, business development professionals, and lateral partners is essential, having a designated point of accountability ensures that the integration is seamless and strategic. By establishing clear expectations, providing structured oversight, and aligning incentives to match desired behaviors, this process creates an environment where laterals can succeed quickly.
Capturing and analyzing data on client retention, integration success, and business development patterns can help firms refine their hiring approach, ensuring they are bringing in laterals whose practices and working styles align with the firm’s culture and long-term objectives.
Ultimately, lateral integration is not a one-time event but an ongoing strategy. The firms that excel in this domain understand that the true value of a lateral hire lies not in their initial arrival but in the enduring business, relationships, and leadership they cultivate over time. By elevating lateral integration to a strategic priority, with clear ownership of the process, firms can transform it into a powerful competitive advantage, securing their place at the forefront of the legal profession.
