The rise of the non-equity (or salaried) partner tier—spearheaded by firms like Kirkland & Ellis—has fundamentally reshaped the legal market, turning what was once seen as a “gaming the system” tactic into the dominant partnership model.

In the first half of 2025, Kirkland & Ellis has added about 100 litigators, signaling a broader trend among top law firms investing heavily in products liability and mass torts litigation.

In fiscal year 2024, Los Angeles saw the fastest attorney headcount growth among major U.S. legal markets, with NLJ 500 firms increasing their local lawyer population by 6%—outpacing New York, D.C., and Chicago.

In the post-pandemic legal hiring landscape, law firms have increasingly turned to predictive Al tools to evaluate candidates for 2L summer associate roles.