Lateral movement continues to play a defining role in the patent litigation market, particularly at the appellate level, where experience and track record can significantly influence outcomes. Over the past year, several notable moves have taken place among attorneys active before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC), reflecting both shifting demand for appellate expertise and ongoing competition among law firms to strengthen their patent practices.

In this week’s insight, we highlight top lateral moves based on attorney activity rankings, illustrating how firms are responding to shifting client demands, rising appellate activity, and the increasing importance of specialized patent counsel.

Market Context and Notable CAFC Lateral Moves (Oct 2024 – Oct 2025)

As discussed in our recent CAFC Intelligence Report, the Federal Circuit remains a central venue for patent disputes, handling appeals from district courts, the PTAB, and the ITC. The report provides a comprehensive view of activity levels, outcomes, and the law firms and attorneys shaping appellate litigation. Between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2024, a total of 3,853 patent-related appeals were filed with the CAFC. During the same period, 1,035 law firms and 5,263 attorneys participated in one or more cases.

Against this backdrop, lateral hiring has become an important lever for firms looking to expand their presence at the appellate level. Attorneys with experience before the Federal Circuit bring not only technical and legal expertise, but also familiarity with appellate strategy, briefing, and oral argument, skills that are difficult to develop without consistent exposure to the court.

By comparing data with the previous report, our analysis identified a total of 51 lateral moves among the top 1,000 most active attorneys alone. While some transitions reflect individual career progression, others point to broader strategic positioning by firms seeking to strengthen their appellate capabilities. The table below highlights the top ten lateral moves during this period, based on attorney activity and involvement in CAFC appeals.

Attorney	Current Firm	Old Firm	Overall Activity Rank	All Cases
Elizabeth S. Weiswasser	Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison	Weil, Gotshal & Manges	45	46
James L. Davis Jr.	Sheppard Mullin	Ropes & Gray LLP	78	25
Edward R. Reines	Jones Day	Weil, Gotshal & Manges	133	23
Joseph A. Micallef	Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider	Sidley Austin	135	38
Jennifer R. Bush	Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks	Fenwick & West LLP	161	16
Jasjit S. Vidwan	Mayer Brown	ArentFox Schiff	162	20
David Zimmer	Zimmer Citron & Clarke LLP	Goodwin Procter LLP	190	18
Anish R. Desai	Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison	Weil, Gotshal & Manges	208	29
Derek C. Walter	Jones Day	Weil, Gotshal & Manges	234	14
Robert A. Auchter	BC Law Group, P.C.	Auchter PLLC	269	11

What These Moves Reveal

Several patterns emerge from last year’s lateral activity. A notable concentration of departures from firms such as Weil, Gotshal & Manges suggests broader shifts within established patent litigation practices, while at the same time, firms like Paul Weiss appear to be actively expanding their appellate bench through multiple strategic hires.

Lateral movement is not limited to the highest-ranked attorneys. A significant number of moves involve mid-to-high activity practitioners, indicating that firms are focused not only on headline hires but also on building depth across their teams.

Specialized patent litigation boutiques continue to play an important role in this sector, both as destinations for experienced attorneys and as platforms for new practices. At the same time, a number of moves reflect a shift toward smaller or independent firms, highlighting a degree of fragmentation and flexibility in how patent practices are structured.

The Role of Data in Legal Recruiting

Identifying the right talent in this environment requires more than traditional recruiting approaches. Data-driven insights, such as attorney activity, case outcomes, and experience across different forums, are becoming essential in evaluating candidates and making informed hiring decisions.

This is where Patexia Legal Link plays a key role.

Legal Link connects law firms and companies with attorneys based on verified performance data and market activity, helping ensure that hiring decisions are aligned with both experience and results. By leveraging the same data that powers our intelligence reports, Legal Link provides a more transparent and targeted approach to legal recruiting.

Whether firms are looking to expand their appellate bench or strengthen their broader patent litigation teams, access to reliable data can make a meaningful difference.