LawFuel spoke with SimplyLegal principal Damian Hanna about the current job prospects in New Zealand and elsewhere for legal jobs – a tough call in a tough market, you might think. The recession has bitten deeply at home but law firms here have largely fared somewhat better than many of their counterparts in Britain, Australia and elsewhere. The property downturn has certainly affected law firms, but an upswing in regulatory, litigation, relationship property, employment and other areas has to some extent buoyed the ‘legal economy’.

Damian Hanna, a lawyer himself, specializes in providing recruitment consultancy to lawyers and its personal service and expertise has secured placements both here and overseas for lawyers in a variety of positions. Born in Ireland, Damian started his boutique recruitment agency in New Zealand in early 2007 after working in Britain and in New Zealand for international legal recruiters.