About one-third of corporate legal departments intend to add attorneys in the next 12 months, according to a recent survey by Robert Half Legal. While the hiring environment for in-house attorneys has leveled off slightly after two years of steady growth, demand for lawyers with more than five years' experience in ethics and corporate governance, transactions and litigation is strong.

“There is not a shortage of applicants for in-house positions, but there is a shortage of qualified candidates,” says Charles Volkert, managing director of Robert Half Legal. “Corporate legal departments have done a lot of hiring over the past couple of years, but they still need top quality attorneys. If you are an in-house attorney experienced in corporate governance, transactions or litigation, you are a step ahead.”

In the survey, 30 percent of in-house attorneys said they expected the number of lawyers in their department to increase in the next year, 63 percent thought the number would stay the same, 4 percent expected a decrease and 3 percent didn't know.

When asked what areas of law will experience the most growth in the next 12 months, 39 percent of in-house attorneys chose ethics and corporate governance. Nineteen percent cited litigation and 16 percent said IP would be the top growth area. Volkert says ethics and corporate governance takes the top spot in hiring priorities because it is an area that executives want to keep in-house, while increased work in other areas can be sent to outside firms.

“CEOs want to be sure they have experts in ethics and corporate governance in-house, instead of turning to outside counsel,” Volkert says.

On the other hand, GCs increasingly are turning to project attorneys to meet short term staffing needs, Volkert adds.

“GCs are being savvy about bringing in project attorneys on a limited basis to work hand-in-hand with their outside counsel, instead of adding to overhead by hiring a fulltime attorney,” he says.

Over the next several years, demand for attorneys will be strong, Volkert says, because of the impending retirement of the Baby Boomers.

About one-third of corporate legal departments intend to add attorneys in the next 12 months, according to a recent survey by Robert Half Legal. While the hiring environment for in-house attorneys has leveled off slightly after two years of steady growth, demand for lawyers with more than five years' experience in ethics and corporate governance, transactions and litigation is strong.

“There is not a shortage of applicants for in-house positions, but there is a shortage of qualified candidates,” says Charles Volkert, managing director of Robert Half Legal. “Corporate legal departments have done a lot of hiring over the past couple of years, but they still need top quality attorneys. If you are an in-house attorney experienced in corporate governance, transactions or litigation, you are a step ahead.”

In the survey, 30 percent of in-house attorneys said they expected the number of lawyers in their department to increase in the next year, 63 percent thought the number would stay the same, 4 percent expected a decrease and 3 percent didn't know.

When asked what areas of law will experience the most growth in the next 12 months, 39 percent of in-house attorneys chose ethics and corporate governance. Nineteen percent cited litigation and 16 percent said IP would be the top growth area. Volkert says ethics and corporate governance takes the top spot in hiring priorities because it is an area that executives want to keep in-house, while increased work in other areas can be sent to outside firms.

“CEOs want to be sure they have experts in ethics and corporate governance in-house, instead of turning to outside counsel,” Volkert says.

On the other hand, GCs increasingly are turning to project attorneys to meet short term staffing needs, Volkert adds.

“GCs are being savvy about bringing in project attorneys on a limited basis to work hand-in-hand with their outside counsel, instead of adding to overhead by hiring a fulltime attorney,” he says.

Over the next several years, demand for attorneys will be strong, Volkert says, because of the impending retirement of the Baby Boomers.