A report by the National Association for Law Placement found that both the median and average number of offers made for 2013 summer associate positions fell. Around 44 per cent of interviews resulted in an offer, dropping from around 46 per cent last year, albeit higher than 2009’s crash to 36 per cent. In comparison, however, the offer rate in 2007 was 60 per cent, reports the New Jersey Business web site.

Global marketplace

‘As law firms battle for market share and compete within a global marketplace that is driving the price of legal services down, law firms continue to be cautious about bringing in more lawyers than they can confidently keep busy,’ said James Leipold,  NALP executive director. ‘I would expect flat and faltering to be characteristics of the entry-level law firm hiring market going forward. Multiple experts have made the case that the legal market is not likely to return to pre-2007 levels, and the recruiting environment reflects that reality.