Contract work can allow an attorney to achieve balance between life and work, become acclimated to a new legal marketplace, keep legal skills sharp, avoid office politics, and earn regular income without collection problems. Some less obvious realities of temping may make contract work less appealing or less of an option for some attorneys. While temping can provide a great transition, it is NOT a last resort in a job search. Employers seek specific skills at a particular level. If you don't meet those needs, you are simply not a good match at this time.
Temporary work is, by definition, temporary.
Its flexibility cuts both ways. Temps are not guaranteed full-time assignments, and even attorneys with specific marketable legal skills have no guarantee of continuous work. The independence of a temp may not be ideal for everyone. A temp has to be prepared to hit the ground running with each new assignment. Attorneys who would rather settle into a stable work mode with fewer changes may not be well-suited to temping.