Since the economic downturn, California’s legal market has weathered its share of troubles: layoffs, firm failures, sluggish demand, cost cutting, tepid hiring and office closures. The recovery has a way to go before business returns to pre-recession levels, according to many law firm managers.

However, after a slow first quarter when firms saw transactional work drop sharply from the end of 2012, the sector experienced relative—and welcome—stability this year.