The health care industry has been a huge boon to law firms with clients in that area, and if recent lateral hires at Sidley Austin and King & Spalding are any indication, it's expected to continue feeding law firm activity this year.

Sidley Austin announced late Monday that the firm has hired Ankur Gupta, Ben Kirschner and Sam Wales as partners in its global M&A and private equity practice. The group also includes associate Krista Kay Lewis. Gupta, who is based in Chicago, was formerly the global head of McDermott Will & Emery's global health care real estate practice.

Kirschner is also based in Chicago, and Wales is in Washington, D.C.