Law Firms Express “Growing Enthusiasm” for Contract Lawyers

22 June 2010 —  Some interesting stuff from the recently published Altman Weil survey of leaders of law firms with more than 50 lawyers.  Forty-four percent of the firms laid off associates last year, 53 percent reduced or discontinued hiring first-year associates, and 64 percent shrunk their summer associate programs.  This year, 10 percent of the firms plan to cut associates, 38 percent plan to reduce or discontinue hiring first-year associates, and 54 percent plan to shrink their summer programs.

But the more interesting news was that law firms are expressing a “growing enthusiasm” for a staffing alternative —contract lawyers.  Last year, 39 percent of the law firms used contract lawyers.   This year, 53 percent will or might do so, while 52 percent expect that contract lawyers will become a permanent part of their staffing plans.

And firms are less enthusiastic about outsourcing or “offshoring” their legal work.   Fewer than 10 percent reported using either alternative. “Despite the potential for cost savings, law firms remain highly skeptical of outsourcing and offshoring and will likely only adopt them when pushed by clients to do so” said the press release accompanying the survey.

For an article from the ABA Journal with a link to the survey click here.