The State of Legal Hiring

The State of Legal HiringThe State of Legal HiringThe State of Legal Hiring July-December 2019 from Robert Half STATE OF LEGAL HIRING JANUARY JUNE 2019Where the Legal Jobs Are in the U.S.Practice areas expected to offer the greatest number of job opportunities in the first half of 2019Litigation (32%)Privacy, data security, information law (12%)General business or commercial law (11%)Ethics/corporate governance (11%)Areas of litigation expected to offer the greatest number of job opportunities*Commercial litigation (48%)Insurance defense (41%)Employment (36%)Top full-time legal jobs being added*Lawyer (77%)Legal secretary (57%)Paralegal (51%)Top criteria for employers when hiring lawyers, aside from legal knowledgePractice area expertise (36%)Technology skills/digital expertise (18%)Client contacts/book of business (15%)47% of lawyers plan to expand legal teams in the next six months.22% of open positions will be filled on a temporary, project or consulting basis.Only top responses are shown.*Multiple responses were permitted.Source Legal online survey of 200 lawyers with law firms and companies in the United States. 2018 Legal. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.STATE OF LEGAL HIRING JANUARY JUNE 2019Hiring and Retention Concerns in the U.S.91% of lawyers said it is challenging to find skilled legal professionals today.Greatest challenges when hiring skilled legal professionalsShortage of qualified candidates (44%)Meeting salary expectations (23%)Offering competitive benefits (20%)80% of lawyers are concerned with losing top legal performers to other opportunities in the next six months.Best retention incentives, aside from compensation or draufgabeFlexible work arrangements (38%)Professional development opportunities (26%)Company perks (12%)Only top responses are shown.