02-01-1999 | |
The legal job market remains extremely strong, with
both lateral and entry-level hiring showing significant increases according to
Employing Associates in 1998: Patterns & Practices, a new publication
from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP).
Lateral hiring at law firms nationwide increased by 26.4% from 1996 to 1997, a sizable jump over the 9.5% increase in lateral hiring poasted between 1995 and 1996. Firms of 251+ attorneys are leading this trend with an increase of one-third. Entry-level hiring is also increasing steadily, with a 15.8% increase from 1997 to 1998 which follows a 14.6% increase over the previous year. In addition, 31.2% of the responding employers reported a more than 50% increase in entry-level hiring in the past year; 38% of employers reported a more than 50% increase in lateral hiring. Using information drawn from the two most recent editions of the National Directory of Legal Employers, published by NALP and Harcourt Brace, Employing Associates in 1998: Patterns & Practices provides expansive documentation of the hiring of entry-level associates, summer associates, and laterals at about 900 law offices, representing 530 major law firms nationwide. NALP's unique access to such broad coverage over time makes Patterns & Practices the premier source for valuable perspectives on hiring at the national, state, regional, and city level. Although the increases in associate hiring were nationwide, distinct regional differences emerged. The change in lateral hiring ranged from a low of 19.6% in the West/Rocky Mountain region to a high of 32.5% in the Midwest. In comparison, increases in entry-level hiring ranged from 14.1% in the Midwest to 19.5% in the Southeast. Specific cities and states also revealed various patterns. Tampa, for instance, showed a 48% increase in entry-level hiring; in contrast, Miami offices hired 8% fewer entry-level associates. Offices in other parts of Florida mirrored those in Tampa. Other areas are reversing law year's trends -- Chicago, for example, posted a 20.3% increase in entry-level hiring for 1997-98 after an almost flat year in 1996-97, while Cleveland posted a 4.1% decrease in entry-level hiring this year as compared with a 14.1% increase in the preceding year. Other findings include:
In addition to documenting broad nationwide and regional hiring trends, the 107-page report presents detailed information for 22 cities and 13 states including:
Cities: Altanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C. |
Contact Information | |
Addtional Info: | About NALP: Founded in 1971 as the National Association for Law Placement, Inc.,® NALP — The Association for Legal Career Professionals — is dedicated to facilitating legal career counseling and planning, recruitment and retention, and the professional development of law students and lawyers. To contact NALP, call 202-835-1001. |