By Casey Sullivan
Jan 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. legal services sector gained
1,000 jobs in December, even as the national unemployment rate
remained at 7.8 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
The new legal sector positions contributed to an overall
increase of 155,000 jobs in the U.S. last month, the bureau
said, while the employment outlook for other professional and
business services jobs showed little change.
The last time more people were employed in the legal sector
was in June 2009, according to the bureau. Employment also
increased in other industries, including health care, food
services and drinking places, construction and manufacturing,
according to the bureau.
The bureau also adjusted downward its preliminary estimates
for legal services jobs in November to reflect a decline of 200
jobs. The bureau had previously reported an increase of 200 jobs
in November.
The legal job growth came despite a steady wave of
consolidation throughout the legal industry in 2012, when major
U.S. law firms such as SNR Denton, Fulbright & Jaworski and K&L
Gates embarked on mergers with domestic and foreign law firms.
The Federal Reserve's Beige Book on economic conditions,
released on Nov. 28, expressed optimism for professional
services firms and the legal sector. The report showed that
business in professional services firms and the legal sector had
shown signs of growth in cities such as Dallas, St. Louis and
Minneapolis.