With the end of the calendar year drawing nigh, the firms Lawyers Weekly spoke to were all optimistic about 2010. Q Legal partner Robyn Ferguson expects the firm's workload to be steady to high for the rest of this year and into 2010.

"While clients will remain cost conscious as regards legal spend for 2010, our expectations for the 2010 year are positive. We are aware that a number of our clients have planned capital raisings and acquisitions so we have a reasonable pipeline of work forecast," she says.

For Swaab, some commercial deals are still a bit light on the ground, but business development consultant Paula Gilmour says there is a very strong pipeline of work from early next year. "The commercial property work is almost frantic, particularly in leasing. That's often a good lead indicator of confidence," she says.

Similarly, Keddies founding partner Russell Keddie is bullish about the firm's prospects for the coming year. "I'm certainly no economic forecaster, but if the general views of the analysts prove correct then we expect a steady return of our workload in 2010 as our legal referrers start seeing their traditional conveyancing and commercial work return to normal."

The Fair Work Act 2009 has seen a boom in work for Workplace Law, because all employers need to adjust their contractual and policy arrangements, according to managing director Brian Williamson. "We expect a heavy workload and a number of clients to enter into acquisitions, which will mean transfer of work issues for us. Our litigation practice has expanded, and we have a workers' compensation division which is growing, so we expect next year to be extremely buoyant."

Related article >> Boutique law firms take talent war to the top tier