Among a large swath of the general public, a law license is viewed as a license to print money. That’s never been true, but lawyers have been viewed as privileged members of the elite – with all the resentments that go along with that kind of negative attitude.

In truth, lawyers and law firms have always faced the same sorts of challenges as other businesses and their executives. And if anything, those challenges have only intensified in recent years.

For all but the biggest, most prominent firms, the recruitment of young lawyers has been a problem. But for firms of all sizes, retention is an issue. There is increasing competition for lateral hires – and successful practice groups are enticing targets. Work-life balance concerns often drive talented attorneys to different firms or entirely new careers.

Law firms have also had to contend with rapidly evolving technology that creates competition from newly empowered competitors. Cybersecurity threats and other data privacy issues add to the difficulties.

At the same time, clients are always looking for faster and less expensive services. That pressure will only increase during what are likely to be uncertain economic times ahead. Businesses facing their own financial setbacks will be less likely to accept pricey legal services – just as they will be less likely to accept other premium business services.

Smaller firms face the same sorts of succession and transition planning concerns as mom-and-pop shops. And finding the right professionals – with the requisite legal acumen and credentials, along with business savvy – is significantly more difficult than it is in many other lines of work. Just ask your accountant how hard it can be to identify individuals who can not only accomplish the necessary professional tasks but can also keep the staff happy and the lights on. Not easy.

So, yes, times are tough, even for lawyers. The individuals listed below have shown that they can handle this difficult environment. They have shown that they know their stuff – both in the casebooks and the business books. The legal profession in New Jersey has been, and will continue to be, in capable hands.

But let us know what you think. Read through the profiles and tell NJBIZ whether the choices here were correct. And tell us whether we missed someone worthy of recognition. As always, the honorees are listed in alphabetical order.

– Jeffrey Kanige
Email: [email protected]

Power List Methodology

The Power and People to Watch lists are compiled by the NJBIZ editorial staff based on our reporting throughout the past year, with input from experts in a variety of fields and recommendations from our readers. The staff looks for people who have gained public attention – and perhaps acclaim – for their professional accomplishments and public service. Each list identifies individuals who, through their efforts, are helping to make New Jersey a better place to live, work and do business. Honorees are not necessarily better at their jobs than others in their profession, but they have contributed meaningfully to the advancement of the public interest through their work and/or community service.