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The 2003 Job Forecast: Hire Learning [Dimitra Kessenides] The employment outlook for the upcoming year: so-so.
Ah, autumn. Turning leaves, crisp nights,
Last year, law firm hiring took a nosedive
turtleneck sweaters. And for 2Ls returning to
(the number of job offers made to 2Ls who
law school, the perennial question of ques-
got call-back interviews fell from 63 percent
tions: How’s the job market?
in 2000 to 51 percent in 2001, according to NALP), and many experts feared this year’s
The short answer is, so-so. The consensus
recruiting season would bring another big
among hiring partners, law school career-
drop. So far, that doesn’t appear to be the
placement professionals, and other recruit-
case.
ing experts interviewed by Jungle is that after a lousy hiring market last year, the
Why the resiliency? The 2002 economy has
demand for new attorneys is improving. Don’t
been far from great but it hasn’t been awful,
get too excited: The boom is far from back.
either. “And after last year’s big cuts,” adds
But hiring for 2003, the experts say, should
NALP’s Patton, firms just don’t need to cut a
be no worse than last year, and perhaps a bit
lot more.”
better. Call the forecast cloudy but clearing. What about the lateral market? Firm-toHiring partners like Eric Goldstein of the New
firm hiring is generally holding steady, and
York office of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &
demand for laterals in areas that thrive in
Garrison say they plan to bring aboard more
unsettled economic times, including bank-
or less the same number of lawyers they
ruptcy and litigation, is growing.
took on last year. While recruiting remains depressed in markets that depend heavily on
To land a job in a still-recovering market,
industries like technology, says Goldstein,
you’ll have to bring your A-game, recruit-
“people should be relatively upbeat about
ers say. If you’re a student, buckle down
their chances in major markets like New York
and earn the best grades you can. If you’re a
where the base of work is broad.”
lateral, try to add a breakout achievement to your resumé.
Law school career-services professionals report that interview schedules seem to be
Finally, remember that soft job markets
holding steady at last year’s levels. “So far,
come and go. Sooner or later, as any veteran
firm registrations for the fall are the same,”
lawyer will tell you, the sun will shine again.
says University of Chicago Law School assistant dean for career services Diane Downs.
This article originally appeared in the Sep-
And signs are encouraging for 3Ls hoping to
tember/October 2002 issue of JD Jungle.
land permanent offers from the firms they summered at. Says Paula Patton, the executive director of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP): “Firms seem to be saying ‘Steady as she goes.’”
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