When it comes to a practice area that is resilient in the face of an economic downturn, labor and employment law would be near the top of the list.

Just ask Beverly Garafolo, managing partner of the Hartford office of Jackson Lewis. The firm’s 15.2 percent jump in revenues last year helped catapult it for the first time to a place on the Am Law 100, a national ranking of firms, based on annual gross revenues, compiled by ALM, the parent company of the Law Tribune.