Although the recession has pummeled the legal profession, some young lawyers can relax, knowing they possess jobs.

In a packed ballroom at McCormick Place West on Thursday, the First District of the Supreme Court of Illinois welcomed nearly 2,000 new lawyers to the Illinois Bar. Counting the friends and relatives of the 1,869 lawyers, the crowd number nearly 6,000. Among them was David Messerschmitt, 25, one of the fortunate new lawyers with a job waiting for him.

"I know right now things are pretty shaky, but I'm fortunate to have a job lined up," said the Ohioan who is moving to the South Loop.

Messerschmitt received an offer from Mayer Brown, one of Chicago’s leading law firms. But overall, the rough economy has made the legal market very tough to enter. Issues of supply and demand and financial limitations are dictating the way firms hire new employees said Matthew Gaudette.

"The recession has had a terrible effect on [the law industry],” said the 27-year-old Northwestern law graduate and West Lakeview resident. “Because there's not as much liquidity, especially in the corporate world, they [firms] don't have the money to buy things, so they don't employ [as many] attorneys anymore."

The challenge of finding a job in the legal profession today requires new lawyers to come up with creative solutions, but the bedrock remains good grades and relentless networking. Larue Robinson, 25, attended Columbia University Law School in New York. He said he feels his alma mater’s pedigree helped him land a job at Mayer Brown. Franklin Wolf, 25, networked his way to a job at Zazove and Associates when he met a partner at the firm through sports.

"I met the main partner at Zazove just by playing tennis and then getting to know him outside of the tennis context,” said Wolf, who lives in Northbrook and graduated from Case Western Reserve University Law School.”It's really that personal connection that makes a difference."

But even those with employment lined up cannot slack off. Law school carries a high price tag, and students can feel the burden of their debt years after they graduate. Robinson said the loans he took out will stay with him until his late thirties.

"Right now, I'm sticking to the 10-year plan,” he said. “That's $15,000 a year, not including the interest that's going to accrue."

Law school can result in massive debt with no guaranteed employment. However, one recent graduate, Abigail Sue, said even without a job, she recognizes the value of the process.

"I think there's an immense value to going to law school," said Sue, a John Marshall Law School graduate and Rogers Park resident. "Even if I can't practice law right now, I have the education and knowledge that you learn from law school that you can't learn anywhere else."