As with any other industry, the recession has had a noticeable impact on the way people pursue legal careers.

This week, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported on the adaptations that graduating law students have had to make as they prepared to enter the job market.

"The bad news is that this is a very difficult legal employment market. But there are still job opportunities... Midsize to smaller firms may actually end up thriving in this economy because they can better manage resources and charge lower rates," Don Lewis, dean of the Hamlin University School of Law, told the newspaper.

The newspaper goes on to cite statistics showing the weakest recruiting climate in four years for the legal industry.

If you've been thinking about pursuing a legal career, demand is still projected to grow in the coming years for lawyers of all kinds. The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites an 11 percent jump in demand to keep up with a growing nationwide number of court actions, from civil and criminal to regulatory and financial.

The BLS also notes that prospective lawyers can increase their chances of being hired with a willingness to relocate and with certain specialties such as tax or patent law.