Lawyers with varying levels of experience from nearly all practice areas are being handed pink slips. But just because a firm has eliminated some positions doesn’t mean attorneys should write it off as a place for potential employment. As Pamela DiCarlantonio, a Managing Director in MLA’s Chicago office, explains, a law firm that has laid off some of its attorneys may still be open to hiring others, as long as their practices and client base make long-term sense for the firm. According to DiCarlantonio and other experts interviewed for this article, attorneys looking for work should conduct a careful inventory of their skills and professional accomplishments and network with everyone they know. Before they approach a firm, they should find an advocate – someone on the inside, someone who knows someone inside, a recruiter, etc. – so they aren’t viewed as just another applicant. If an attorney doesn’t know where to begin, they should start with the alumni associations at their undergraduate university and law school and their local bar association. And they should keep their skills polished. “The recent layoffs have been necessitated by drastic conditions,” says DiCarlantonio. “When the current crisis is over, the market may improve very quickly.”