As reported by writer Elizabeth Olson, last year’s law school graduates landed fewer jobs in private practice than any other graduating class in the last two decades. Relevant data are summarized in a report entitled Employment for the Class of twenty fifteen – selected findings.
The report indicates that in two thousand and seven, graduates landed more than thirty seven thousand jobs in private practice. Last year, this number was down to around thirty three thousand jobs. There is little change in sight as law firms incorporate growing efficiencies created by new technologies and increased competition from nontraditional legal services providers.
Back in two thousand and seven, nearly ninety two percent of law school graduates found employment within nine months of leaving school. Last year, that figure was below eighty seven percent. While it is more difficult to find jobs in private practice, graduates are finding positions in government, public interest organizations and in business.
The median law firm starting salary rose five percent last year to about one hundred thousand dollars, but that’s still much lower than the starting salary of one hundred and thirty thousand dollars in two thousand and nine.
