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Lawyers: One-third plan increase in entry-level hiring

March 19, 2015

The job market for newly minted associates is showing signs of improvement, according to according to a survey released today from Robert Half Legal.

Nearly one-third of lawyers surveyed, 32%, said their law firm or company plans to increase its hiring of entry-level associates in the next 12 months; 5% expect to decrease hiring and 60% anticipate no change in hiring activity.

Nearly half of survey participants, 48%, said analytical or critical thinking abilities are the most important skills for entry-level lawyers to possess, aside from legal knowledge. Interpersonal skills followed with 32% of the survey response.

"As the economy gains strength, law firms and corporate legal departments are expanding their teams to pursue new business opportunities," said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. "While the legal job market has yet to return to pre-recession levels, hiring prospects for new lawyers are improving as employers recruit first-year and summer associates to support busy practice groups."

Lawyers were asked, “Does your law firm or company plan to increase its hiring of entry-level lawyers in the next 12 months?” Their responses:

  • Increase significantly: 3%
  • Increase slightly: 29%
  • Decrease slightly: 4%
  • Decrease significantly: 1%
  • Neither increase nor decrease: 60%
  • Don't know/no answer: 4%

Lawyers were also asked, “Aside from legal knowledge, which one of the following areas of expertise is most important for entry-level lawyers to possess?” Their responses:

  • Analytical or critical thinking abilities: 48%
  • Interpersonal skills: 32%
  • Writing skills: 5%
  • Technology skills: 4%
  • Negotiation skills: 3%
  • Other: 6%
  • Don't know/no answer: 2%

The survey is based on 350 telephone interviews with lawyers in the US and Canada who have hiring authority within their organizations. It included 175 respondents employed at law firms with 20 or more employees and 175 respondents employed at companies with 1,000 or more employees.