Law firms remain cautious in recruitment despite recovery

This article in the Wall Street Journal points out that law firms are finally starting to recover from the recession, but that the returning good fortune is not being felt by young lawyers. Partners are seeking to maintain a lean workforce despite the uptick in work, as clients maintain a grip on fee arrangements that were negotiated in a buyer’s market. Law firm leaderships also point out that the market is still fragile, and is rife with destabilizing factors. "What happens if Greece falls apart again?" says Greg Nitzkowski, managing partner at Paul Hastings, an international firm that has reduced entry-level hires by about a third since 2008. "We just think it's prudent to plan as if this coming year is going to be a relatively flat year.…We're not planning for a big upsurge in demand."

Law firms remain cautious in recruitment despite recovery online.wsj.com Wed, Feb 1, 2012