CEOs could be feeling better right now. In survey results released earlier Thursday, 98% said they were preparing for a recession in the U.S., while 99% were preparing for an E.U. recession. In fact, the Conference Board’s measure of CEO confidence is at its lowest point since the Great Recession.

And a slew of our recent headlines suggests that law firm managers are feeling similarly wary about the current economic climate. The particularly choppy waters of the tech industry has spurred Gunderson to defer the start of its latest associate class; firms have good reason for exploring mergers during downturns; and a survey highlights flat or declining IT budgets in firms.