Demand for litigation lawyers drives up hiring

Jo Faragher

A rise in litigation will drive recruitment into the legal profession in the second half of this year, according to a new study from Robert Half Legal.

Twenty-nine percent of lawyers interviewed for the study said their companies plan to add new legal jobs in the second half of 2014, up two points from a prior hiring survey conducted six months ago. 

More than half (52%) said they expect to only fill vacant posts, while 10% said they would neither fill vacant positions nor create new ones. Only 2% of respondents expected staff reductions in the next six months.

Forty-two percent of respondents cited litigation as the practice area that will generate the greatest number of legal job opportunities. General business/commercial law and intellectual property followed (20% and 6% respectively).

However, more than half of respondents (56%) said they faced difficulties finding skilled legal talent, and just under a third expressed concern about losing top performers to other legal job opportunities.

“Law firms are competing to secure new clientele and expand profitability,” said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. “To succeed, they are seeking legal professionals who can help broaden their service offerings and spur business development.”