By Howard Flack ( June 13, 2017, 5:00 PM EDT) -- Over the last decade the number of lateral moves and the investment that firms continue to make in partner hiring have grown exponentially (a 2015 ALM Legal Intelligence Report estimated $1.3 billion in lateral partner compensation alone in 2014). Despite the expenditure, firms active in the lateral market experience unremarkable success rates (around 50 percent, according to various surveys). Therefore, it is hardly surprising that firms are looking for ways to enhance their rates of return on lateral investments. In a previous article, we explored a number of tools to help firms improve their odds, but unfortunately, not all firms believe these steps are necessary....