Incoming Associates Hit Hard at Big 50

California Lawyer's annual survey of the state's 50 biggest law firms, published in August, shines a glaring light on how tough the job market is for associates. In each of four tallies regarding associates?total number, female associates, minority associates, and incoming associates?at least half of California's 50 largest firms reported lower numbers than in the previous year.

Overall, there was a 4.7 percent drop in the ranks of California associates compared to a 7.2 rise in 2008. The number of female associates, which rose 10.8 percent in 2008, declined by 2.8 percent this year. And firms reported 2 percent fewer minority associates this year, compared to a 9.9 percent increase in the previous year.

But the most dramatic statistic for young lawyers lies in the incoming associate class at the California 50 firms. Though from 2007 to 2008 the number of incoming associates remained relatively stable, rising just .7 percent, this year the class size fell by 22.4 percent among firms that responded to the question. And because many declined to answer, it's possible first-year hires were even slower.

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