Andrew and Hopkins is following with interest the recent announcement that DLA Piper has elevated 62 lawyers to its global partnership, effective May 1, 2026. Partnership classes…
Andrew and Hopkins is following with interest the recent announcement that DLA Piper has elevated 62 lawyers to its global partnership, effective May 1, 2026. Partnership classes of this scale, particularly at firms with the international footprint of DLA Piper, offer a useful window into how major legal service providers are allocating talent across practices, regions, and client-facing capabilities. For in-house counsel and corporate decision-makers evaluating outside counsel relationships, these announcements can be more than industry news; they often signal where institutional investment is flowing.
According to the announcement, the Corporate practice group led the class with 20 new partners. That figure suggests sustained demand for transactional capacity, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, and related corporate advisory work. The Litigation practice followed with 12 promotions, reflecting continued investment in dispute resolution capabilities at a time when many businesses are managing an expanding range of regulatory, commercial, and cross-border disputes. The remaining promotions were distributed across the firm's broader practice areas, underscoring a balanced, full-service orientation.
Regionally, the United States accounted for 24 of the promotions, the largest share of the class. The scale of the US contingent is notable because it reinforces the importance of the American market within the global legal services landscape. For clients with operations, investments, or disputes touching the United States, the depth of partner-level talent at large international firms remains a meaningful factor when selecting counsel for complex, multi-jurisdictional matters.
From a market perspective, partnership promotion classes function as a leading indicator. Firms tend to promote where they see durable client demand, sustained revenue, and strategic growth potential. The weighting toward Corporate and Litigation, together with the strong US showing in this year's DLA Piper class, is consistent with broader trends that Andrew and Hopkins has observed across the industry, including heightened deal advisory needs and a steady pipeline of complex disputes.
Andrew and Hopkins will continue to monitor partnership announcements and related market developments that may inform how clients structure their outside counsel relationships.
This release is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Clients and prospective clients should seek tailored advice from qualified counsel regarding their specific circumstances.