The job market took a massive step towards recovery in the month of January but it is still on a very long road to full recovery. Nonfarm payrolls in the United States picked up 243,000 jobs in the month of January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is an increase from the revised 203,000 jobs in December.

In January, the unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent, which is a drop from the 8.5 percent in the month of December. Economists estimate that if the number of workers who dropped out of the labor force were included, then the unemployment number could be over 10 percent, which is still a very bad sign.

“This report is encouraging, but it still underscores how far a distance we have to go and how many people are still long-term unemployed and disconnected from the workforce,” said Harvard economist Lawrence Katz. “Even if we were willing to say that the scars of the great recession mean a couple of million people drop out permanently, we still have many years to go before we get back to where we were.”

The early expectations for job growth came in at 155,000 new jobs and an unemployment rate hovering at 8.5 percent. With the new job numbers, the total amount of nonfarm payroll jobs sits at 132.4 million jobs, which is 5.6 million jobs lower than the 138 million at its peak in January of 2008. In layman’s terms, it will take many more months to get job numbers back to where they were four years ago.

Hamilton Place Strategies, a Washington, D.C. consulting firm, released a study on the economy and jobs. The data released estimates that there could be three million long-term unemployed people in the country who are not being included in the count by the Labor Department because those three million people have stopped looking for new work. If these people are pushed back to the workforce because of signs that the job market is improving, then the unemployment rate would increase. In January, the participation rate for the workforce fell to 63.7 percent compared to 64 percent in December. This is the lowest number since January of 1982, which suggests that employees are still leaving the job force in massive numbers.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics labels this group of people as those not in the labor force because they stopped looking for work over a month ago but still would like to have a job. This number has increased by 1.66 million since the start of the recession. The unemployment rate would hit 9.2 percent should those 1.66 million people re-enter the job force.

To compare the new numbers with old numbers, unemployment hit its peak in October of 2009 at 10 percent. A larger measure of unemployment, including workers only marginally attached to the job market fell to 15.1 percent, the lowest it has been since February of 2009.

January saw the private sector add 257,000 jobs as the government sector cut 14,000 jobs. Manufacturing added 50,000 jobs and leisure and hospitality added 44,000 jobs.

• For Two Consecutive Months, Legal Jobs Decline
• Morning Roundup
• BGR Group Holds Bipartisan Inauguration Party
• South Korean Blogger Jailed Without Bail
• Dorsey & Whitney Out of Danger

A restaurant is facing a lawsuit after a bartender supposedly said that he was replaced by a plan to hire only hot chicks. The restaurant is a finalist for a concession space at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Tony Clark is the former bartender from Varasano’s pizzeria, who declined to answer questions for 11Alive. Clark’s attorney, Muna Claxton, answered questions instead.

“Tony is not about publicity,” Claxton said. “That’s why he’s not here.”

Jeffrey Varasano is the owner of the restaurant and Brett Holtzclaw is not named in the lawsuit, even though he is the restaurant consultant and is the man behind the idea of the hot chicks.

“You almost have to prove you innocence rather than prove your guilt,” Varasano said. “And we can. We have.”

Holtzclaw supposedly organized a plan that would start hiring hot chicks and then he cut the hours for Clark, according to the lawsuit. 11Alive was told by Claxton that Clark heard Holtzclaw use those exact words to bring in more customers.

“I don’t even know where he’s going with that,” Varasano said.

“There was never a strategy like that,” Holtzclaw added.

When Claxton was asked if she had evidence or witnesses to corroborate the accusations by Clark, Claxton answered, “Yes we do, and we believe as the lawsuit goes forward, that will come out.”

A complaint filed by Clark with the EEOC was dismissed in September and his lawsuit was filed this week in federal court. Varasano claims that after months of nothing going on, the timing to the current lawsuit is interesting. Varasano claims that since his restaurant is a finalist for a concession spot at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the restaurant has been receiving more publicity.

Claxton claims that Clark and she did not know about the restaurant’s recent publicity. Varasano had to provide a break down list of its current staff as a part of the EEOC investigation. They have 16 males and 17 females on their staff.

“This has never been an issue for us. That’s why this is so ridiculous. We have people of all genders, sexual orientations, races. We just want them to work hard,” Varasano said.

Claxton continues to insist that Clark was a hard worker while on the job at Varasano.

“He did not deserve to lose his job. I have letters from clients that said they missed seeing him there, that he did a good job,” she said.

Varasano claims that Clark did not work hard, showing 11Alive an email where the ex-bartender complained about having to work late hours. The email had a date on it that occurred prior to the alleged hot chick incident.

“Tony just wants what’s fair,” Claxton said.

“This is ridiculous,” Varasano replied.

• Pregnant Waitress Fired at Strip Club
• Howrey Estate Payment Ruling Issued
• Yoga Cannot be Copyrighted
• Frank McCourt Battling Law Firm Involved in his Divorce
• Moving to a New Firm

Switching jobs is always a stressful event in a person’s life, but it can be especially stressful when you try to switch the jobs during such a tough economy in the United States these days. One aspect of the business world where switching jobs can be incredibly stressful is the legal spectrum. Even though there are millions of law firms across the country, most lawyers find it difficult to switch from one firm to another in order to advance their career to newer heights. The reason behind the skepticism is not only the economic problems surrounding the country but also the uncertainty that the new job will be worth the switch in the end.

The American Lawyer lists the following characteristics of a lawyer who qualifies as a good candidate for a move to a new law firm:

• A good strategic fit with the acquiring firm, such as having a practice that complements the firm’s current practice or a client base with many cross-selling opportunities.
• Persuasive explanations of why their current firm is no longer the right platform (that is, the right mix of colleagues, practices, clients, firm management style, marketing support, and other factors that comprise a law firm as an organization).
• Reasonable compensation expectations.

An excellent way to determine if a move to a new law firm is right for you is to speak with legal recruiters. These recruiters will be able to answer most of your questions, including ones you might have about the current firm you work for as well as questions you have about possible new employment opportunities at other firms. If you do not wish to work with a legal recruiter you could always work on the process on your own. Working on your own comes with a ton of risk, including breaking ethical codes that you have to your current firm and your clients. One way you can explore options with new firms is to talk informally with peers you have a good repore with at those other firms you might be interested in joining.

If you do not have many peers in law firms you know of, you can contact firms on a no-name basis to gauge their interested in a lawyer with your skills and whether or not they have job openings. The process such as this one is outlined below:

• Contact firms on a no-names basis to determine their interest in a partner with a practice like yours.
• Assess recent placements and press releases to determine which firms were looking for partners like you.
• Analyze the partnership composition of firms in your market to identify opportunities that could be appealing both to you and to prospective firms.

If you employ this process correctly, you should be able to find law firms either in your area in or a desired area of residency that are looking for lawyers with your type of skill level.

• Hot Chick Plan Causes Lawsuit and Complaint with EEOC
• Massachusetts Home To Many Cutting Edge IP Law Firms
• Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison Has Impressive 2011
• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Law Firm of Akin Gump Has Second Defamation Lawsuit Filed Against It

The BLS report also mentioned that overall only 39,000 positions were added to the country’s economy in November, a big shortage from the industry prediction of  a 150,000 job increase. Meanwhile, other sectors posted notable developments in terms of job growth. For instance, the temporary help services sector added 40,000 positions, the most of any industry for the time period. The private sector registered an increase of 50,000 jobs and health care jobs also expanded by 19,000. The US unemployment rate is currently at 9.8%, down from 10% in 2009.

• Report Shows Legal Sector Again Shedding Jobs
• February A Rough Month For The Legal Industry
• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Legal Sector Jobs Edged Upward in January
• 800 Legal Jobs Go Bye-Bye In July … But Still Reflect An Improvement

The ACLU will represent defense lawyers against U.S. Homeland Security…

According to a CT TyMetrix Inc. and The Corporate Executive  Board survey, billing rates in Washington, D.C. are the second highest in the U.S….

The Quellos Group owners pled guilty to fraud and tax evasion…

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was ruled unconstitutional in California’s 9th District…

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan disqualified herself from 10 more cases…

Law School admissions officers survey tells prospective students how to prepare…

Burleson Cooke added nine attorneys to its Pittsburgh office…

• “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Ruled Unconstitutional in California’s 9th District
• Quellos Group Owners Plead Guilty to Fraud and Tax Evasion
• ACLU to Represent Defense Lawyers Against U.S. Homeland Security
• Billing Rates in Washington, D.C. Are Second Highest in the U.S.
• Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan to Recuse Herself from 11 More Cases

Though job prospects may be shrinking and the amount of students growing, candidates still planning on applying for law school should do the utmost to stand out in the admissions process.  Of law school admissions officers, 64% rank LSAT scores as the most important factor when screening applications.  And, to boot, 73% of those surveyed believe more financial aid is available to those with high LSAT scores.  Only 23% of law admissions officers deem undergraduate grade point averages to be more important than LSAT scores.

Surveyors also mention letters of recommendation possibly ruining a student’s chances at enrollment.  In fact, 15% of those surveyed find negative recommendation letters to be the most influential when throwing out a candidate.  Of those surveyed, 87% say they have received negative letters, suggesting that students need to more carefully consider the judgment of those they would choose to write recommendations.

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Update
• Law School Applicants Remain Bullish Despite Tight Job Market
• Law School Grade Inflation Grows in Popularity
• Pre-Law Students Confident in Job Prospects, Survey Says

IP lawyers are a special breed, often having advanced degrees in engineering and other areas of advanced sciences.  The MHT article highlights Nathan Edwards, and the Cambridge firm of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP.  Edwards is a PhD in biological sciences and a “new breed of technology lawyer”.

At the article’s center is the tech sector’s potential to be one of the driving forces in the next evolution of IP firms across the country.   “‘In the past, IP was not given nearly the consideration it is now,’” said McDermott Will & Emery partner, Leigh Martinson, who was interviewed for NMT article. “‘Now it’s the core of the business. It used to be ‘just get me a patent.’ Now it’s ‘Get me a patent that’s going to allow me to leverage  relationships and compete.’ That’s exciting.’”

The posting lists the top ten IP firms in the greater Boston area as well, a list which includes Goodwin Procter, WilmerHale and Fish & Richardson.

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Boston Firm Noted For Nearly 300 Trademark Applications In 2009
• Morning Roundup

The Robert Half Legal Hiring Index reports that employment prospects are improving for the legal industry in the second quarter…

Arnold & Porter adds three from Arent Fox…

The National Jurist reports that the number of law school faculty has increased by 40%…

Chief Justice John Roberts touches on the State of the Union during a lecture at the University of Alabama…

Two partners from Orrick join King & Spaulding…

• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup
• Morning Roundup

According to job listings on the DoL website, applicants for the positions must have knowledge of and ability to apply the provisions of Federal wage and hour labor laws pertaining to wages, hours of work, or related conditions of employment. A JD satisfies the education requirement.

• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Hot Chick Plan Causes Lawsuit and Complaint with EEOC
• Ogletree Deakins Continues to Grow Firm with Addition of Trio of Attorneys to Minneapolis Office; Shareholders to Phoenix Office
• Moving to a New Firm
• Duane Morris Adds Four Attorneys to Trial Practice Group

Blagojevich, however, did not respond to a discovery deadline seeking witnesses, documents and other materials that would be used in his defense, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The impeachment trial is scheduled to begin Monday. If found guilty of corruption charges — including trying to peddle President Barack Obama’s then-vacant US seat — Blagojevich would be removed from the Governor’s office.

David Ellis, the designated House prosecutor, asked the state Senate to approve subpoenas for a witness FBI agent Daniel Cain, author of the federal affidavit filed along with federal criminal charges against Blagojevich resulting in his Dec. 9 arrest.

The governor has maintained his innocence of both federal charges and charges contained in the state House articles of impeachment.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Blagojevich spent $2.6 million of his campaign funds on legal fees, most to pay criminal defense lawyers. His most recent expenditures — a $500,000 payment to the firm of lawyer Edward Genson and $100,000 to the firm of Sheldon Sorosky — was made Dec. 18, a campaign finance report filed late Tuesday revealed.

The governor also paid nearly $1.8M to Winston & Strawn since December 2003, records show. About half of that was spent last July for overdue bills.

In response to the prosecutor just hours ago, Blagojevich released a statement that the Senate impeachment trial is unfair and denies him the right to due process.

The two-term governor of Illinios, Blagojevich says he is being denied the right to call witnesses. The governor has repeatedly denied federal allegations that he sought to profit politically and personally from official acts.

House prosecutor David Ellis said he would withdraw his subpoena to FBI agent Cain if the U.S. Attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald objects.

The House and Senate have agreed not to seek witnesses or information that could compromise the ongoing federal investigation. A Fitzgerald spokesman declined further comment.

Ellis, whose primary job is legal counsel to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), also asked to call eight House lawmakers as witnesses.

Visit Law Crossing for more legal news, employment and other resources.

• Four Firms Got Blago Payouts in Last 6 Months
• Blagojevich’s Troubles Deepen [Update]
• Blago Says He Will “Boycott” His Own Impeachment
• Dorsey & Whitney Out of Danger
• Blago’s Lawyer to Challenge “Illegal” Wiretaps

The firm patriotically primped its office floor with star lights projected on the dance floor conference area, mega screens airing the balls across town, and a blue glow throughout the space. Refreshments included mini-Reubens, corn souffle and champagne glasses with red, white, and blue sugar rims.

The 18-year-old lobbying firm added a couple of prominent Democrats to its staff in the past year and wanted to throw an intimate gathering in the new office to celebrate its own transition over the past year of becoming a bipartisan firm.

“The Democrats came into the firm and are pleased that Republicans know something about policy, so they work real well together,” said Lanny Griffith, chief executive and the “G” in BGR Group. “When I worked for the White House a long time ago for Bush in 1989, my job was to be bipartisan. This is very similar to that.”

The idea for the Blue Ball stemmed from a company Christmas party. But the idea behind the name does not have Democratic connotations.

“We were sitting in my office, drinking some Johnnie Walker Blue and decided to do the blue party,” Griffith said. “The Blue Ball. That’s what I thought it was about!”

Among the hundreds at the brunch reception were Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the new chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee; Carol Browner, picked to head Obama’s White House energy and environment council; and a platoon of NBC News personalities, including anchor Brian Williams and former anchor Tom Brokaw.

Founded in 1991, BGR Group is the premier bipartisan government relations, strategic consulting, mergers & acquisitions and investment firm in Washington, D.C. The firm’s reputation in Washington and international capitals means decision makers, journalist and business leaders often refer to them for insight regarding policy development, politics and international issues.

BGR clients include Fortune 500 companies, international governments, trade associations, non-profits, academic institutions, hospitals, coalitions, state and local governments. The firm intends to continue its hiring of new staff during the bipartisan transitioning.

Search for related employment resources online: Law Crossing.

• Morning Roundup
• South Korean Blogger Jailed Without Bail
• Dorsey & Whitney Out of Danger
• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Law School Admissions Officers Survey Tells Prospective Students How To Prepare

Now, the 31 year old Park Dae-Sung, is charged with going too far in an online discussion. He stated that the government had banned major financial institutions and trade businesses from purchasing U.S. dollars in an attempt to strengthen the local currency. Prosecutors are calling his information inaccurate and saying that it disrupted the foreign exchange market.

He was arrested last week, which sparked a debate about freedom of speech on the Internet and in South Korea.  South Korea is considered to be one of the most technologically savvy nations in the world.

Dae-Sung had regularly denounced the method by which his government handled the economy and made regular, mostly negative, predictions about the future. He is speculated to be an economic expert and his identity was hotly debated in his home country.

He has been denied bail. Dae-Sung’s lawyer said he did not intend to harm the public.

Dae-Sung could spend up to five years in prison or be fined up to 50 million won (US$36,360).

• Dorsey & Whitney Out of Danger
• BGR Group Holds Bipartisan Inauguration Party
• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Hot Chick Plan Causes Lawsuit and Complaint with EEOC
• For Two Consecutive Months, Legal Jobs Decline

In 1999, an investment bank in Minneapolis, called Miller & Schroeder, which is now non-operational, packaged about $12 million in bonds, selling them to over thirty different banks. Those banks turned that money over to become direct lenders to a Mohawk Native American tribe located in New York State. The tribe used that money to invest in a casino.

The illegality comes because Miller & Schroeder hadn’t received the green light from the National Indian Gaming Commission to go ahead on the loan for the casino. It was proven that Dorsey was aware that this could endanger the investment, and ignored it.

The casino went under, and the loans went into default in 2000. The Mohawk tribe claimed they weren’t obligated to repay the loans because of the fact that the gaming commission never gave approval.

Miller & Schroeder sued the casino management as well as the Mohawk tribe in bankruptcy court. Dorsey encouraged Miller & Schroeder to release the tribe from the suit, and in 2007, a federal district court decided that Dorsey only wanted them released from the suit because they wanted to keep their own mistakes from being revealed.

Two federal courts – a bankruptcy court and a federal district court— ruled against Dorsey in judgments that accumulated up to $900,000.

However, on Thursday, a majority of the 8th Circuit decided that Dorsey did not, in fact, commit malpractice. All charges against the firm were dropped.

• South Korean Blogger Jailed Without Bail
• Impeachment Prosecutor Calls 12 Witnesses Against Blago
• BGR Group Holds Bipartisan Inauguration Party
• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Hot Chick Plan Causes Lawsuit and Complaint with EEOC

Managing Partner Tom Froehle said no lawyers were fired in Fort Wayne or in Indianapolis, where 12 jobs were eliminated.

“The positions eliminated were focused around administrative and facilities staff. Advancements in information technology have changed many aspects of our profession and, as a result, have provided the opportunity for us to achieve greater operational efficiencies with fewer staff members,” Froehle said.

Baker & Daniels has 322 lawyers in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Chicago, Washington, DC and Beijing.

Froehle said the firm added more than 40 attorneys in 2008.

• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Right to Work Bill Approved by Indiana State Senate
• Republicans Attack Right To Work Vote In Indiana
• Little Sympathy Given By ABA To Jobless Lawyers
• Epstein Becker & Green Opening Office in Indianapolis

Nine of them will work out of the law firm’s downtown offices. The tenth, who apparently did someting to piss off the partners, will work out of the Kalamazoo office.

Honigman employs 230 attorneys and has offices in Detroit, Lansing, Oakland County, Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo.

Corporate Board Member magazine named Honigman the number one corporate law firm in Detroit this year for the third consecutive year. It also received a number one ranking within the state of Michigan from Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2008 in the corporate, real estate, litigation and employee benefits fields.

• January Jobs Report a Positive Step Forward
• Hot Chick Plan Causes Lawsuit and Complaint with EEOC
• Leading Patent Litigator Joins Sheppard Mullin as Co-Chair of IP Practice Group
• Leading Natural Gas Regulatory Attorney Joins McDermott Will & Emery
• Perkins Coie Announces Opening of New Office in Taipei, Taiwan

I just spoke with a candidate from the China office of a large US firm, and was told that “corporate practices are VERY slow in Hong Kong and Shanghai, despite what you are reading on blogs. Firms are slow and laying capital markets associates off. In short, the reality in China is much different than what the blogs are telling people.” [Of course, he was clearly referring to Kinney’s Asia Chronicles on ATL]

Asia Chronicles is a series of posts on the Above The Law blog by Evan Jowers and Robert Kinney of Kinney Recruiting, an ATL advertiser. While the latest post admits that “associate hiring is falling significantly” in Asia, the series, while informative about issues like expat allowances and taxes, contains what are basically advertisements for legal jobs in Asia (and using Kinney Recruiting to find one).

Also, this New York Times article from November, entitled “Lawyers Wanted: Abroad, That Is,” reports that “lawyers and analysts say that the most promising places for legal careers are such far-flung locales as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong.” But are they really?

UPDATE:

Harrison has since spoken to two recruiters who confirm that qualified candidates are having a rough time finding positions in East Asia and the United Arab Emirates, two regions that are supposedly hungry for new associates.

• SJ Berwin Expands into Shanghai
• DLA Piper Lays Off 54 in Asia
• DLA Piper’s Ong to Head Up Eversheds Singapore
• DLA Piper Adds Pair of Attorneys to Beijing Office
• Law Firm Kirkland Ellis Commits $2.75 Million to Stanford Law School to Fund Scholars’ Program and Annual Forum