Despite the downturn, it’s not all doom and gloom, legal recruiters are saying.

Miguel Florit, a partner at legal recruiter Florit Brooke in Leeds, told Recruiter: “It really depends  on what they [lawyers] are doing. It’s all led by movements in the marketplace. Anyone acting for Woolworths or Wedgewood is not going to get repeat instructions - that’s why their jobs are in jeopardy.”

Property and construction are suffering, says Florit, “but other areas are doing very well.” 

Florit adds: “Litigation  and corporate recovery may be actively looking to get new people on board.”

Gavin Crocker, director of GR Law, says that despite a recent report in The Times predicting that up to 15% of partners in Britain’s top law firms are facing redundancy this year, he hasn’t seen any increase in the number of partners registering.

There are still some bright spots, he says, adding “the people who are moving are those with a lot of business [a following] they can take with them. These people are in great demand”. Crocker cites an employment lawyer on GR Law’s book,” says Crocker.

 “The real issue is if you have got people who are pretty senior, whose work drops off. These people are not very portable so if they can remain where they are they are going to be much better off,” says Crocker.