Record High For Law Graduates Securing Full-Time, Long-Term Jobs

The percentage of recent law graduates employed in full-time, long-term jobs that require Bar passage has reached its highest level in a decade.

85.6% of the 2023 graduates from the 195 ABA-approved law schools were employed in full-time, long-term jobs roughly 10 months after graduation, according to new data released by the American Bar Association — an increase from last year’s 84.6%.

PERCENTAGE OF GRADS EMPLOYED FULL TIME RISING STEADILY

Since the Class of 2019, the percentage of grads employed in full-time jobs has steadily risen above 80%, with only a slight dip to 77.4% for the Class of 2020.

“This dip was likely due to the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal market, cancelations and delays to bar admission exam administrations, and an approximately 1.4% increase in the size of the graduating class that year,” Bill Adams, managing director of ABA accreditation and legal education, says.

DECREASE IN CERTAIN JOB POSITIONS

This year, the biggest decrease in jobs came from business and industry, which declined 18.1% to 2,662 jobs from 3,252 for the Class of 2022.

The number of law firm positions also saw a slight 1.1% decrease this year, totaling 18,572 jobs compared to 18,771 for the Class of 2022.

The Class of 2023 also saw the percentage of graduates in government positions rise to 11.1%, up from 10.4% in 2022. Additionally, there was an increase in recent graduates securing clerkships, with 3,352 jobs, or 9.5% of the 2023 graduates, compared to 3,297 jobs, or 9.1% of the graduates in 2022. More graduates secured public-interest jobs, with 3,122 jobs, or 8.9% of the graduates, compared to 3,013 jobs, or 8.4% of graduates in 2022.

[INSERT: “Employment outcomes.xlsx”
Source: American Bar Association]

Sources: ABA, ABA Journal

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