After several years of large firms in New York expanding their classes of newly promoted partners, that momentum came to a halt when firms as a whole cut back the number of new partners in the past year.

According to data collected by the New York Law Journal, the number of new partners at the biggest firms in the city collectively dropped by double-digit percentages. Still, legal industry observers say it remains to be seen whether the new partner slowdown is a blip in an otherwise upward trend or a sign of fewer promotions in years to come.