Get a snapshot of legal hiring trends in the second half of 2019, based on research by Robert Half Legal.

1. Only the top responses are shown.
*
Multiple responses were permitted.
Source: Robert Half Legal online survey of 200 lawyers with law firms and companies in the United States
Practice areas expected to offer the greatest number
of legal job opportunities in the second half of 2019:
Litigation (27%)
General business or commercial law (21%)
Privacy, data security and information law (15%)
Ethics and corporate governance (9%)
STATE OF LEGAL HIRING: JULY-DECEMBER 2019
Where the Legal Jobs Are in the U.S.
§ Practice area expertise (36%)
§ Industry/sector knowledge (15%)
§ Management experience (12%)
§ Lawyer (80%)
§ Legal secretary (60%)
§ Paralegal (45%)
Areas of litigation expected to offer the greatest
number of legal job opportunities:*
Commercial litigation (44%)
Securities and corporate governance (33%)
Employment (31%)
Insurance defense (28%)
Top full-time legal
jobs being added:*
Top criteria for employers when hiring
lawyers, aside from legal knowledge:
© 2019 Robert Half Legal. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
18% of lawyers plan to staff 1%-10% of
vacant roles on an interim basis.
21% of lawyers said that 11%-20% of the open
positions at their law firm/company will be staffed
on a temporary, project or consulting basis.
59% of lawyers plan to expand their
legal teams in the next six months.

2. STATE OF LEGAL HIRING: JULY-DECEMBER 2019
Hiring and Retention Concerns in the U.S.
© 2019 Robert Half Legal. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Veterans.
§ Professional development opportunities (33%)
§ Flexible work arrangements (29%)
§ Challenging work or variety of assignments (18%)
87% of lawyers said it is challenging to
find skilled legal professionals today.
§ Shortage of qualified candidates (47%)
§ Meeting salary expectations (23%)
§ Lengthy hiring process (15%)
75% of lawyers are concerned about losing top legal
performers to other opportunities in the next six months.
Only the top responses are shown.
Source: Robert Half Legal online survey of 200 lawyers with law firms and companies in the United States
Greatest challenges when hiring skilled legal professionals: Best retention incentives, aside from compensation or bonus: