The figures for legal recruitment showed hiring fell 89% quarter-on-quarter during the first national lockdown a year ago, but by the end of 2020, the numbers had improved and hiring was down 44%.
However, lawyer vacancies were less impacted than other legal jobs, ending 2020 down 39% year-on-year.
In January, there were signs of momentum in private practice hiring, which accounted for 62% of legal vacancies.
Ann Swain, global CEO at APSCo, said: ‘The initial drop in vacancies at the beginning of the pandemic comes as no surprise. Looking at the data, the legal sector is beginning to see signs of positivity.’