First Year Associate Positions in Big Law

[CracklePop]

I'm articling at a big law firm in Vancouver. The firm doesn't have enough work in the area that I'm interested in so I don't expect to be hired back. How difficult would it be to find a position in another big law firm given the current economic situation? The area that I'm interested in seems to generally be pretty slow across the board given the recession.

I would also love to hear any insights on the following topics:

- When should I start looking for a spot?

- How should I look for a spot?

- Are there any general mistakes to avoid when seeking a first year associate position?

- Are legal recruiters useful in finding first year associate positions?

- Should I be telling my firm? If so, at what point?

[Zarathustra]

I've seen it happen in my year. Quite a few people managed to get first-year positions. Maybe talk to a recruiter?