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Even as firms were laying off and otherwise letting go of associates and partners during the Great Recession, they were also hiring laterals from other firms. It seems logical to conclude that firms add lawyers only to meet specific client demands and because the firm has a strategic goal for the practice of each lawyer added. Hiring fresh out of law school has been de-emphasized, perhaps for good, as firms emphasize lateral hiring of experienced associates and partners who have specifically desired skills and a strong book of business.