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Additional Hiring for Law Firms

Despite reports of a weakening economy, 45% of law firms and corporate legal departments plan on hiring additional lawyers within the next 12 months implies a new survey developed by Robert Half Legal, a staffing service specializing in attorneys, paralegals, and other highly skilled legal professionals. Of the attorneys polled a mere 3% state that their firms will be downsizing their legal teams in the coming year. Specialty areas forecasted to grow quickly include, according to the poll, include bankruptcy, litigation, and ethics and corporate governance. When asked if their law firm/corporate legal department planned to increase or decrease the numbers of lawyers employed over the next 12 months, 50% of respondents indicate staying the same, 45% state an increase, and 3% expect a decrease. Furthermore, of the lawyers asked which areas of law they expect to see growth in the next 12 months, 25% claim bankruptcy, 24% litigation, 17% ethics and corporate governance, and 16% intellectual property. Addressing the issue of anticipated growth in bankruptcy law, executive director, Charles Volkert, notes “Attorneys surveyed may be reacting to recent economic reports and the possibility of slower growth – leaner times have historically led to increases in bankruptcy proceedings and, with it, higher demand for specialists in bankruptcy law.