Prevailing market conditions have impacted on the graduate programme at Corrs, with the start date for 2009 recruits to be postponed to April 2009. The change has been motivated by a desire to ensure graduates have a good supply of quality work when they commence with the firm, which would not have been the case if they had commenced at the usual late February start date. The firm at present has a temporary overcapacity of lawyers. As the postponement would potentially result in some inconvenience for graduates, each graduate was paid $2,300 to help with their personal expenses.
Meanwhile, other firms are adjusting their staffing capacity. DLA Phillips Fox has retrenched 12 Australian and Kiwi lawyers while Deacons laid off 15 property and finance lawyers.