Every lateral move starts with a pitch: a platform, a plan, a promise. But what happens once the ink dries?

Early results from the Lateral Lift Survey, a joint research project from Poston Communications, LawVision, and JDSupra reveal a telling gap between recruitment promises and post-arrival reality. When we asked laterals what most influenced their decision to accept an offer, “leadership’s answers to your questions during recruiting” scored as the single strongest deciding factor, even ahead of compensation and guarantees. Yet integration tells a different story. Fewer than three in ten laterals reported that their firm assigned a dedicated integration coordinator who stayed actively engaged after their start date. Nearly one in three said no dedicated integration role existed at all.

The result? At the 90-day mark, satisfaction with integration is mixed. Some laterals rate their experience as good or excellent, but a meaningful share describe it as neutral or poor, often citing a widening gap between what was promised during recruitment and what they actually experienced once onboard.

If you have made a lateral move recently, or are considering one, your voice matters here. This survey is capturing the real, unfiltered experience of attorneys who have been through it, from the pitch meeting to the first year on the job. The findings will shape how firms structure onboarding, integration support and marketing/BD resources for the next wave of lateral hires.

We are still collecting responses, and every additional perspective sharpens the picture. The survey takes about eight minutes, responses are confidential and reported only in aggregate, and it closes soon.

If your lateral experience matched the pitch, or fell short of it, this is your chance to say so. Take the Lateral Lift Survey now.

Beth Huffman, a managing director at Poston Communications, has more than 40 years of experience in communications, media and marketing. She has spent the last two decades helping major law firms, legal organizations and their global clients create strategic narratives that elevate their reputations and work.

Adrian Lürssen is co-founder and VP of strategic development at JD Supra. Connect with him on LinkedIn here.