Study predicts good news for legal job market

A staffing service specializing in attorneys, paralegals and other skilled legal professionals reported in March that despite a down economy and layoffs in the legal field, one-quarter of lawyers interviewed recently said their organizations would be adding personnel in the next 12 months.

The majority (65 percent) of survey respondents forecast no change in staffing levels. While one in 10 attorneys said their firms and corporations would be reducing the size of their teams in the coming year.

Developed by Robert Half Legal, the survey was conducted from Feb. 11 to 27 by an independent research firm and includes responses from 300 attorneys among the largest law firms and corporations in the United States and Canada. All respondents have at least three years of experience in the legal field.

Lawyers were asked, “Do you expect the number of lawyers employed with your law firm/corporate legal department to increase, stay the same or decrease in the next 12 months?” Their responses: 25 percent said increase; 65 percent said stay the same; and 10 percent said decrease.

The two practice areas anticipated to experience the most growth, according to those polled, are bankruptcy and litigation.

Sarah Brule, regional manager of Robert Half Legal, said the current recession and financial crisis have increased the demand for bankruptcy services. And it has also resulted in a higher volume of litigation, Brule said.

“I would definitely say that there are many law firms and corporate legal departments that are restructuring their teams and consolidating their resources,” Brule said. “We continue to see a focus on cost-containment.”

For those lawyers looking for new jobs, Robert Half Legal’s clients often request candidates that have three to five years of experience. But those who do not have a range of skills or depth of experience need to focus on transferable skills, Brule said. The best way to do that is by understanding what skills are in demand and highlight those transferable strengths, she said.

Some transferable strengths are organizational skills, communication skills and project management skills, she said.

“Another great piece of advice is show you know the value of saving your company money,” she said. “Hiring managers like to see concrete examples of how employees saved time and money by enhancing productivity.”