With an expanding hedge fund industry and its ranking as the country's fourth-largest state in terms of household income, law firms in Connecticut are continuing their climb back from the recession.

Real estate has come alive again, corporate regulatory work is on the rise and corporate and personal tax experts are staying busy in the Nutmeg State. Still, companies that survived the downturn are being extremely cautious about spending their money; commercial litigation remains weak, although the past 12 months have brought back some mergers and acquisitions activity and even some long-delayed bankruptcy work.