Law school graduates have found the job market to be quite challenging over the past few years. However, some of those looking for work in the legal profession are finding more success due to an uptick in hiring.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that law firms in Cleveland are stepping up employment levels to their highest levels since 2009. The source reports that law firms added 6,000 more workers during the summer and spring by comparison to last year, with establishments such as Walter & Haverfield increasing staff by 20 percent.
In an interview with the source, Jones Day partner Christopher Kelly said that his firm had significantly increased its payroll.
“While we are reluctant to call our increase a trend, we have implemented an uptick in hiring for the near term,” said Kelly. “Our incoming class of lawyers in October is double the size of last year’s group, and we have been actively recruiting laterals.”
In some cases, the chances of being hired at a firm can vary depending on the state. The Daily Pennsylvanian reports that a recent survey by The Legal Intelligencer found that Pennsylvania-based law firms hired 20.5 percent more lawyers in 2012 than the year before.