10 Not So 'Recession-Proof' Industries
"The idea that the legal economy is recession-proof has been debunked once and for all with this recession," says James Leipold, executive director of the National Association for Law Placement. "The amount of work coming in really dried up, very quickly." The Labor Department has reported that the number of unemployed lawyers rose 66 percent last year, reaching a decade-long high; the layoff tracking website Lawshucks.com reports that 3,677 people were laid off by major law firms alone in March. More law firms are reducing starting salaries and deferring, or even rescinding, their offers to graduates. The one piece of good news: Since law tends to be a leading indicator of recovery, there's some hope that it will be one of the first industries to pick up.
The recession is hurting many families and companies across the country, but there are a few bright spots. Who do you think is a recession winner? And who are the biggest recession losers?