Q1 2026
Overview
Q1 2026 has opened with a noticeable step up in activity, with 43 Knowledge Lawyer moves recorded across the market, up from 33 in Q4 2025.
This is not just a rebound from a quieter quarter. It reflects a market that is actively recalibrating. Firms are making deliberate decisions about where to invest, where to consolidate, and where knowledge capability will have the greatest commercial impact over the next 12–18 months.
What is increasingly clear is that hiring is becoming more targeted. This is not volume hiring. It is selective, often senior, and closely tied to practice area performance and strategic priorities.
A More Competitive Hiring Landscape
The spread of hiring this quarter points to a market that is both active and competitive.
While a handful of firms led on volume, activity was broadly distributed across US, international, mid-market, and service provider platforms. Mid-market firms again showed strong intent, continuing a trend seen throughout 2025, where investment in knowledge is being used to drive efficiency and compete more effectively without relying heavily on additional fee-earning headcount.
At the same time, service providers and alternative platforms remain firmly in the mix. Their presence is not incidental. They are continuing to attract talent by offering something different, whether that is flexibility, focus, or a more clearly defined remit. This breadth of activity is creating a more competitive hiring environment, particularly for experienced candidates who can operate with a degree of autonomy and influence.
Where Firms Are Placing Their Bets
The sector shifts this quarter are more pronounced than in previous reports and point to a clear reallocation of focus.
Corporate and Banking & Finance have both seen significant increases in hiring, suggesting renewed confidence in transactional pipelines and a corresponding need to support deal flow with scalable knowledge infrastructure.
Employment has also emerged strongly, with six moves recorded. This aligns with what we are seeing on the ground: sustained demand for guidance around workforce regulation, organisational change, and risk management.
By contrast, Litigation has dropped off sharply. Whether this is cyclical or more structural remains to be seen, but for now, firms appear to be prioritising areas that are more closely aligned with forward-looking client demand.
More broadly, there is a continued tilt towards practice areas where complexity, regulation, and volume intersect. These are the areas where knowledge functions can have the most immediate and measurable impact.
Lateral Hiring, Retention and the Salary Question
As in previous quarters, lateral hiring continues to dominate, accounting for most moves.
Firms are still looking externally for individuals who can step in quickly and operate at a high level. The expectation is not just technical excellence, but the ability to influence, prioritise, and navigate across teams.
At the same time, there are growing signs of pressure around retention.
We are seeing more candidates in the market who are not actively looking to leave, but who feel stretched, under-recognised, or misaligned in terms of progression and remuneration. In some cases, roles have evolved significantly over the past 12–24 months, becoming broader and more strategic, without a corresponding shift in title or compensation.
Salary expectations are also becoming more defined. Candidates at the senior end of the market are increasingly clear on their value and less willing to move without a meaningful step up. This is creating a degree of tension, particularly where firms are balancing cost pressures against the need to retain key individuals.
Promotions remain part of the picture, but they are not always moving at the pace some candidates expect. Where internal progression stalls, the external market is providing a credible alternative whether that be existing knowledge lawyers moving across firms, or fee-earners diversifying into the space.
The AI and Innovation Layer
Running alongside these hiring trends is a more structural shift around AI, data, and innovation.
While not always explicitly reflected in job titles, there is a growing expectation that Knowledge Lawyers will engage with these areas in a meaningful way. Whether that is supporting the implementation of AI tools, shaping internal processes, or helping translate technical developments into practical guidance for fee-earners, the scope of the role is continuing to expand.
Firms are not necessarily hiring “AI specialists” into knowledge roles, but they are increasingly looking for individuals who are comfortable operating in that space and can contribute to wider innovation agendas.
This is subtly but materially changing the profile of candidate in demand.
A Market That is Becoming More Deliberate
Taken together, the data points to a market that is becoming more deliberate in how it hires.
There is less speculative hiring and more focus on where knowledge can unlock efficiency, support growth areas, and improve delivery. Roles are often broader, expectations are higher, and the individuals being hired are expected to operate with greater visibility across the firm.
At the same time, candidates are approaching the market with more clarity. They are more attuned to where roles sit within a firm, how success is measured, and whether there is a genuine platform for progression.
Outlook
Looking ahead, we expect activity to remain steady, but selective.
Demand is likely to continue to track practice area performance, with Corporate, Finance, and Employment remaining key areas of focus. At the same time, the intersection between knowledge, data, and innovation will continue to shape both roles and hiring decisions.
Retention will also remain a central theme. Firms that can clearly define progression, recognise contribution, and align remuneration with responsibility are likely to be in a stronger position to hold onto their talent.
List of Knowledge Lawyer Market Moves Q1 2026
Banking/ Finance
Sarah Hill has been appointed to Knowledge Lawyer – Banking & Finance at FromCounsel from their previous role as Senior Legal Resource Manager at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
Sarah Curry has been appointed to Knowledge Lawyer (Banking & Finance) at Mayer Brown LLP from their previous role as Senior Associate at Ashurst.
Joanne Pereira has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Lawyer at A&O Shearman from their previous role as Vice President & Assistant General Counsel at J.P. Morgan.
Sarah Hill has been appointed to Knowledge Lawyer (Banking & Finance) at FromCounsel from their previous role as Senior Legal Resource Manager at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
Sophie Taylor has been promoted to Lead Knowledge & Innovation Counsel at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP from their previous role as Lead Knowledge Counsel- Finance.
Julia Hartley has been appointed to Knowledge Development Lawyer at Law Business Research from their previous role as General Counsel at Auguration.
Amitaben Patel has been promoted to Professional Support Counsel at White & Case LLP from their previous role as Professional Support Lawyer.
Kelly Knight has been appointed to Knowledge Management Counsel at Milbank from their previous role as Counsel at Reed Smith.
Commercial/Tech
Sarah Turner has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Lawyer at Taylor Wessing LLP from their previous role as International Head of Knowledge IPT at DLA Piper.
Kathy Harford has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Lawyer- Innovation & IP at Stevens & Bolton LLP from their previous role as Lead Knowledge Lawyer at Baker McKenzie.
Tamara Quinn has been appointed to Legal Consultant at Denval Marine Consultants Limited from their previous role as Director- Data, AI & IP Knowledge at Osborne Clarke.
Tamara Mackay-Temesy has been appointed to Professional Support Lawyer at Bird & Bird LLP from their previous role as Senior Associate at Baker McKenzie.
Competition
Victoria Oates has been appointed to Knowledge Lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer from their previous role as Legal Advisor at Competition and Markets Authority.
Simon Dodd has been promoted to Senior Knowledge Strategy Lawyer- Global merger control at Skadden, Alps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates from their previous role as PSL-Global merger control.
Construction
Kayleigh Rhodes has been appointed to Professional Support Lawyer at Beale & Co from their previous role as Legal Learning Manager at Hogan Lovells.
Katherine Tulloch has been promoted to Knowledge and Innovation Counsel at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP from their previous role as Knowledge Counsel.
Corporate
Sarah Lunn has been promoted to Knowledge Lawyer Director at Osborne Clarke LLP from their previous role as Senior Knowledge Lawyer.
Catherine Sellars has been appointed to Professional Support Lawyer at Shoosmiths LLP from their previous role as Knowledge Lawyer at Stevens & Bolton LLP.
Hyo Joo Lee has been appointed to Knowledge Management Counsel at Latham & Watkins from their previous role as Corporate Knowledge Management Lawyer at Goodwin Procter LLP.
Tom Halsey has been appointed to PSL Corporate/ M&A at Kirkland & Ellis LLP from their previous role as Knowledge Lawyer-Private Capital at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
Anna Hopper has been appointed to Cert ESP Course Lead at Tapestry from their previous role as Principal Associate PSL at Eversheds Sutherlands.
Laura Bentham has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Strategy Lawyer at Skadden, Alps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates from their previous role as Lead Knowledge Lawyer, Global M&A at Baker McKenzie.
Khin Hsu Myat has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Lawyer at A&O Shearman from their previous role as Senior Associate.
Sarah Lunn has been promoted to Knowledge Lawyer Director at Osborne Clarke LLP from their previous role as Senior Knowledge Lawyer.
Eleanor Kelly has been appointed to Managing Knowledge Lawyer at Lewis Silkin from their previous role as Solicitor, Lexis+ Practical Guidance Corporate at Lexis Nexis.
Employment
Emily Bodger has been appointed to Knowledge Lawyer (Employment) at Littler from their previous role as Associate (Employment) at Ashurst.
Megan Sumpster has been appointed to Associate at CMS from their previous role as Professional Support Lawyer at DLA Piper.
Elaine Hiles has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Lawyer (Pensions) at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP from their previous role as Legal Counsel at Trainline.
Laura Nelson has been promoted to Senior Practice Development Lawyer (Employment) at Squire Patton Boggs from their previous role as Professional Support Lawyer.
Leanne Raven has been appointed to Senior Employment Lawyer (Knowledge & Innovation) at Linklaters LLP from their previous role as Senior Knowledge Development Lawyer (Employment) at Stephenson Harwood LLP.
Laura Crang has been appointed to Knowledge Lawyer-Employment at FromCounsel from their previous role as Senior Associate at Osborne Clarke.
FS/Reg
Maria Green has been promoted to Senior Regulatory Adviser at A&O Shearman from their previous role as Knowledge Counsel.
Innovation /Tech
Katherine Harford has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Lawyer at Stevens & Bolton LLP from their previous role as Lead Knowledge Lawyer at Baker McKenzie.
Praveeta Thayalan has been appointed to Senior Knowledge Lawyer for AI (Global) at A&O Shearman from their previous role as Senior Knowledge Lawyer at RPC.
Litigation
Vanessa Leigh has been appointed to Legal Technology Specialist at Birketts LLP from their previous role as Interim Professional Support Lawyer.
Multi-Practice
Kayleigh Rhodes has been appointed to Professional Support Lawyer at Beale & Co from their previous role as Legal Learning Manager at Hogan Lovells.
Christine Astaniou has been appointed to Global Director of Practice Innovation & Knowledge Solutions at Kennedys from their previous role as Senior Manager at Financial Conduct Authority.
Tim Dale has been appointed to Partner at Burness Paul LLP from their previous role as Director of Knowledge at Pinsent Masons.
Real Estate
Kate Siggers has been appointed to Knowledge Lawyer at Trowers & Hamlins LLP from their previous role as Senior Associate at Irwin Mitchell.
Andrew Marshall has been appointed to Professional Support Lawyer at Gardner Champion Solicitors from their previous role as Partner at Dewsbury Law.
Tax / Pensions
Lynn Housecroft has been promoted to Senior Practice Development Lawyer at Squire Patton Boggs from their previous role as Professional Support Lawyer.
Rhiannon Barnsley has been appointed to Professional Support Lawyer at Shoosmiths LLP from their previous role as Professional Support Lawyer at Sackers.
Kirsten Mainwaring-Banks has been promoted to Head of Tax at FromCounsel from their previous role as Knowledge Lawyer.
