Canadian associates have long formed one of New York’s most reliable overseas talent pipelines—especially those from top-tier Canadian firms with hands-on deal experience.
In recent years, that route has become noticeably tougher. A slowdown in deal flow, tighter hiring cycles, and a more cautious approach to laterals meant that even highly qualified Canadian lawyers often struggled to turn New York interest into actual offers.
While we’ve helped the occasional superstar make the move, appetite for Canadian talent is now clearly strengthening. As transactional activity rebounds heading into 2026, U.S. firms are showing renewed interest—particularly in Canadian associates within finance, corporate, and funds practices.
Recent Examples
We recently completed a placement of a Canadian junior associate in debt finance, moving from a major national firm in Canada to a leading U.S. firm in New York. The candidate was academically strong, had taken clear, proactive steps toward U.S. practice, and aligned well with a team anticipating a busier year ahead.
We also have several Canadian associates now at final interview stages with some of the strongest finance and corporate teams in the city.
At the associate level, the majority of successful Canada-to-New York moves this year have—perhaps surprisingly—been at the junior end, typically lawyers with one to two years of experience at top Canadian firms. These juniors have almost exclusively joined finance practices, signaling where demand is tight and where New York firms are struggling to source qualified talent locally.
At the midlevel, most of the movement we’ve seen has been in finance and corporate. The majority of mid-level associates making the move have been from the Class of 2021.
What Canadian Associates Should Prioritize
If New York is something you’ve considered, the next 6–12 months could be a strong time to explore it, particularly if you:
- are at a top-tier firm/ band-ranked practice group
- have strong academics
- have already taken steps toward U.S. qualification (NY Bar or in progress)
- are in finance, M&A, funds, capital markets, or related corporate seats
For Canadian lawyers who have been waiting for the right moment to test the U.S. market—this could be it.
If you’re thinking about lateral options in New York in 2026, now is a good moment to start the conversation—quietly, early, intentionally—while appetite is shifting upward again.
