Career Center: State of the Market - Atlanta

This week, Lateral Link Director Scott Hodes gives us some insight into the increase in lateral hirings in the Empire State of the South.

Atlanta has emerged as one of the best lateral associate markets in the country. While 2009 was slow as in most markets, 2010 signaled a comeback, and 2011 confirmed the upward trend.

Corporate and litigation positions represented the largest amount of lateral openings, which is fairly typical in large markets. Corporate positions seemed to peak in the second and third quarters, while litigation was fairly steady throughout the year. There was also a huge boom in intellectual property positions, especially in the last three quarters, followed not too far behind by labor and employment, which remained steady throughout 2011….

In general, the second and third quarters were the busiest in terms of hiring, with the first quarter still feeling the lingering effects of the 2009/2010 economy. Job openings remained steady toward the end of the year, which is a good sign for 2012 and beyond.

As a whole, 2011 is a hopeful indication of the future, as firms picked up hiring in all areas of law. While they did not represent a majority of the open positions, real estate, tax, trusts and estates, ERISA, health care, bankruptcy, and some other more specialized areas of law saw positions at one point or another throughout the year.

In summary, Atlanta has seen a huge increase in lateral openings, especially at the junior and mid levels. It is a very vibrant legal market, and is a great option for local folks and those who want to relocate from the big city.

Feel free to contact any of the recruiting professionals at Lateral Link about law firm and in-house job opportunities. For additional career tips, check out the Career Center, powered by Lateral Link.