Legal Hiring Looking Up

An increase in attorney hiring during April is just one of the recent signs of improvement in the legal industry.  Now there are reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission has so many openings  it is turning to a recruiter to fill positions.  The Am Law Daily reports  that although it is rare for federal agencies to turn to headhunters, the SEC  has nearly $70 million earmarked for new talent and needs the assistance expediting the hiring process.  The positions reportedly range from entry level advisors to division chief counsel.  The SEC started seeing a big increase in workload since the Dodd-Frank Act went into effect in July 2010.

Cities such as Dallas, TX have large firms reporting hiring plans.  The Am Law Daily notes that one firm, Hunton & Williams is looking to bring attorney headcount closer to pre-recession levels.  Canada is also seeing a rise in attorney hiring over the last six months, according to The Lawyers Weekly, encouraging news after  more than two slow years.   The publication quotes a Robert Half Legal Hiring Index  prediction of a hiring boost over the next three months, with 29% of firms surveyed indicating they will add staff in the near term.  In addition, none reported plans to cut staff.

Sources:

Am Law Daily

The Lawyers Weekly