Pasadena, CA — The current economic spiral has affected the legal job market dramatically. Most law firms are extremely cautious and are making highly strategic decisions in the hiring arena. In this slowdown, LawCrossing advises law students to be careful while selecting their practice areas which make the base of their legal career. ''General trends show that attorneys specializing in regulatory matters in any industry have more chances to stay put in this downturn,'' says Harrison Barnes, CEO of LawCrossing. LawCrossing lists the following recession-proof practice areas for the law students' consideration: Healthcare: The industry has been booming and so is the legal hiring. This is one of the most recession-proof practices. ''The most demand has been for associates with 2-5 years of experience in healthcare transactional, regulatory, and compliance matters,'' adds Barnes. Students or graduates with a background or interest in healthcare regulatory matters have higher chances of finding a job and sustaining through this economy. Government/Public Law: With the most regulations in the government sector, this is another good option for students. ''Government lawyers generally get to establish a high-level networking at the very beginning of their careers. Moreover, they have always had an edge over others as the industry does not slow down during recession,'' adds Barnes. Labor and Employment: This is definitely one of the hottest practice areas for attorneys, especially for those with wage and hour class action experience, and litigation and counseling background in employment law. ''There are numerous opportunities in this area, both in the smaller/boutique firms as well as large, national firms,'' adds Barnes. Immigration: The immigration rules change constantly and with the increasing US immigrants, the demand for immigration attorneys has been rising, even in this slowdown. ''Most of the work involves corporate transfers and family-related immigration work,'' adds Barnes. ERISA/Employee Benefits: The demand is steady for junior to mid-level associates who have experience handling executive compensation, fiduciary, investment and service-provider issues, and non-qualified deferred compensation issues. ''Even in this recession, ERISA attorneys continue to be highly marketable. Many firms are also seeking associates with Section 409 experience,'' adds Barnes. Tax: Taxation law has been one of the most active practice areas in terms of lateral hiring. ''Most firms appreciate an LL.M. in tax along with a background in accounting, economics, or finance. There has been rising demand for associates with transactional corporate and international tax experience,'' adds Barnes. ''Other areas such as estate planning, corporate, litigation, and intellectual property, among others are also steady practices to opt for,'' adds Barnes. LawCrossing lists top jobs from these practices, as follows: Healthcare attorney jobs (1,957) Government attorney jobs (718) Employment attorney jobs (6,837) Immigration attorney jobs (894) ERISA attorney jobs (993) Tax attorney jobs (5,660) ''Though some practice areas are higher in demand than others in a slowdown, I would always suggest law students that economy should not necessarily be a deciding factor while they select their practice areas,'' adds Barnes. Contact: Mary Wilson, Editorial Coordinator 626-243-1821 LawCrossing mary@employmentcrossing.com About LawCrossing LawCrossing is an affiliate of EmploymentCrossing, a powerful and comprehensive organization dedicated to helping professionals find jobs that will enhance their careers. LawCrossing consolidates every legal job opening it can find in one convenient location. LawCrossing was ranked 72nd on the 2007 Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing companies in the US. The website also offers a seven-day free trial to new members.

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