<p>I've heard all about the waning job market for BIGLawyers and layoffs and bloodlettings at all the big-name firms. Given that I wasn't really interested in working for one of these firms anyway, how is the job market looking for smaller boutique firms? Corporate in-house counsel? Government?</p>
<p>Furthermore, are there any long-term predictions about the job market for legal careers in general? If I went to law school, I'd be graduating ~2015. Is the recession we're in seen as a catalyst for the restructuring of the legal field in addition to finance and banking, or, if and when the economy rebounds, will the legal job market loosen up again? </p>
<p>As an aside, how will the J.D. as a certification of higher learning be seen in the near future, as well as long-term? Is it falling by the wayside in terms of value? I'm struggling to understand why thousands of people are still flocking to law school in spite of the numerous blogs, forums, and consulting sites that shout "Don't go to law school."</p>