While the legal job market may still be in “struggle” mode, it's not all gloom and doom, according to a new study.

Robert Half Legal, a legal placement company, recently surveyed 200 lawyers in large law firms and corporations in the United States about their current hiring trends.

The results revealed some encouraging news:

  • There is an uptick in need for lawyers in high demand practice areas, such as general business/commercial law, litigation, and labor and employment
  • More work is being brought in-house, putting pressure on law firms to offer more competitive pricing and improve their services
  • The most experienced in-house counsel have a projected salary in 2012 as high as $225,000
  • In the legal field in general, salaries are expected to rise 1.9% in 2012

Read more about Robert Half Legal's annual salary guide.