The news has been filled with stories about soaring unemployment rates over the past several months, but little attention has been paid to one field that has suffered a great deal during this economic downturn: the legal field. Gone are days when getting into a top law school was a one way ticket to living “the good life.” In fact, many lawyers – both those fresh out of law school as well as those who have been in the business for years – are suddenly finding themselves without jobs. As a result, most experts agree that the current market is the worse those in the legal field have seen in over a quarter of a century.

As might be expected, there is a great deal of bitterness flowing through those in the legal field who worked there way through law school only to find no job opportunities.

“There is a whole cohort of young lawyers who feel like the rug has been pulled out from under them,” said Brian Dalton, who is the managing editor of Valut.com, in a New York Times article. “The idea of it as a secure path is being questioned as never before.”

While there are some lawyers who are taking the downturn as an opportunity to take some time off from work, the majority of those in the field are struggling with where the legal field has gone and where it may be going. In fact, according to the New York Times article, there are at least 10,000 people who have lost their jobs within the legal field over the past year.

Many experts within the field are encouraging lawyers to take this time to expand their professional networks in preparation for what is yet to come. According to David B. Lat, who is the founder of the Above the Law blog and former lawyer himself, emphasizes the importance of networking without seeming pushy or as if there are any expectations.

“It’s like dating,” said Lat. “You wouldn’t immediately go up to someone and ask, ‘You want to go back to my place?’ There has got to be some prelude.”

Experts within the field also emphasize the importance of getting up to date regarding Obama-era policies.

“We are going to have more of a regulatory state,” comments John J. Cannon III, who is a hiring partner at Shearman & Sterling. Any young lawyer would be well advised to bring themselves completely up to date in the new regulatory environment.”

Above all, experts recommend that those in the legal field try to maintain an upbeat attitude, despite the depressing state of the economy and the legal field. After all, if you are going to make a good impression on those you are adding to your network, you want to present yourself as a positive person with an upbeat outlook on your future.