Cornell Law School Tops American Bar Association Rankings for Large Firm Job Placement
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According to new data from the American Bar Association, Cornell University's law school had the highest percentage of its 2022 graduates placed in jobs at large law firms compared to any other law school in the United States. This is the second consecutive year that Cornell has taken the top spot, with nearly 80% of its juris doctor graduates securing positions at firms that employ 251 or more lawyers within ten months of graduation. In second place was Columbia Law School, with 78% of its 2022 graduates landing jobs at large firms, while Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law ranked third with a rate of over 68%. Duke Law School and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School rounded out the top five, with significant firm hiring rates of 67% and 66%, respectively.
The American Bar Association (ABA) recently released data on the employment outcomes for the class of 2022, indicating a robust job market for graduates. Almost 78% of new Juris doctors secured employment that necessitates bar passage within ten months of graduation, which is higher than the employment rate for 2021 (about 76%) and the last cohort to enter the job market before the COVID-19 pandemic (class of 2019). Akua Akyea, the associate dean for career development at Cornell Law, credited the success of the school's graduates in securing positions at law firms to their problem-solving skills, which are highly sought after by firms.
After analyzing the data, Reuters found that most prominent law firms specializing in corporate transactions and litigation have been in fierce competition for associate talent. Starting associate salaries at many of these firms have risen to $215,000 annually. The data shows that Georgetown University Law Center had the highest number of 2022 graduates (369) placed in large firms, which accounted for slightly over 55% of the class. This was the 13th highest among all ABA-accredited law schools. However, it's worth noting that the ABA's law firm statistics exclude graduates who have accepted associate positions but are completing clerkships first.
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