Like their counterparts in the Top 20, New Jersey's second tier of high-grossing law firms took a breather from the growth spurt of the prior two years, but it doesn't seem cause for worry.

The Second 20 firms' earnings were stagnant in 2012, but profits also stayed flat, avoiding the dip experienced at the Top 20. [See "Earnings Plateau, Profits Dip at Top N.J. Firms," April 29.] And if their lawyer ranks sagged, it was only slightly.