To say the retail industry is changing would be an understatement. Rapidly evolving consumer habits and the rise of e-commerce have put new stresses on brick-and-mortar retail. And as a result, lawyers are in high demand, for everything from compliance to bankruptcy.

More than a dozen major companies, including Limited Stores LLC and Payless Inc., have already declared bankruptcy this year. Others, such as Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Macy's Inc., are closing stores in droves. As large department stores and big box chains get their bearings in an increasingly digital retail sales landscape, legal work is heating up in several areas.

“It's a time of enormous change,” says Jay Jorgensen, global chief ethics and compliance officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. “I'm actually surprised by how fast and how significantly it's changing, even though I was expecting it.”