Associates Need Not Apply: Job Market is Slow, Except for IP

Unless you're an intellectual property associate or a partner with a book of business in any practice area, now is probably not a good time to look for a lateral job at another law firm or corporate legal department.

Even for associates seeking bankruptcy and litigation positions, the market is slower than many would have expected given the increasing amount of work in these fields following the mortgage meltdown. And, for those in downsizing practice areas such as real estate, the situation is even worse, according to the Wall Street Journal Law Blog. Although it isn't a good time to be looking for work, a growing number of real estate associates may be forced to do so by layoffs, it suggests.

“We’ve been really stunned,” says recruiter Cynthia Sitcov, attributing the slowdown to uncertainty about the future and wondering if the current situation signals a fundamental change in the legal market. "People do not want to pick up and move on the associate level right now," she advises.