A new study by the American Bar Association has found that employment outcomes for recent law school graduates have improved significantly, with the proportion of graduates in high-quality jobs trending upward. The study reveals that approximately 85% of law school graduates from the class of 2022 were employed in full-time long-term bar-passage-required jobs or "J.D. advantage jobs" as of March 15, ten months after graduation. These are jobs for which a law degree is helpful, but bar passage is optional. This figure is up from the 83% reported for the class of 2021, and the number of graduates in these jobs increased by 888 year over year.
These figures demonstrate a significant increase from the 77.4% ten-months-after-graduation employment rate for the law school class of 2020, which was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also found that the job market for newly minted attorneys has recovered despite the modest number of new jobs a nationwide year. Interestingly, the growth in the number of jobs in law firms rather than other aspects of the law shows the most significant gain in percentage points.
According to the study, the proportion of graduates in positions at law firms of all sizes rose from 50.6% for 2021 to 52.0% for the class of 2022. Aside from the change in law firm employment, the percentage of attorneys in each category deviated by 1 point or less from 2021. About 10% of the attorneys from the class of 2022 were working for the government, about 9% in business and industry, about 9% in clerkships, about 8% in public interest law, and about 1% in education. One percent were working in law-school-funded positions. A maximum of 1% were pursuing careers as solo practitioners.
While the study listed 5.3% of 2022 law school graduates as unemployed as of this spring, the remaining graduates were employed in either part-time or short-term jobs. The report highlights that the employment market for new lawyers has improved since the pandemic began. Still, it also notes that many associates, particularly associates of color, leave their firms after only a few years.
Overall, the study's findings demonstrate a positive trend for law school graduates seeking employment in the legal industry, with an increasing number of graduates securing high-quality jobs.
