Following the fluctuations of legal employment for July and August, the months of September and October saw a steady rise of 1,600 jobs gained. September accounted for 1,000 jobs added by legal employers, while October accounted for 600. This is only the second 2-month period this year of back-to-back additions for the sector, following adds of 3,200 and 300 in April and May, respectively.
Overall, this is points toward what appears to be a sustained upward trend for the industry. As of the release of the September data, 5,900 jobs have been added since that time last year. Moreover, as of the October data, 3,500 jobs have been added since the start of 2012. We shall see if the trend continues through the end of the year, yet the consistent gains thus far seem to suggest 2012 may well be a year of rebound for the sector.