The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) recently unveiled its newest “Jobs & J.D.s” report, which presents both encouraging and disappointing findings. One noteworthy revelation is that 2022 law school graduates have experienced the highest employment rate in 35 years. However, the report also emphasizes that racial and ethnic disparities in employment persist within this field.
Riding on an increase of 3.5 percentage points, the employment rate rose to 91.9% for the class of 2021 – a key uptick from the 88.4% rate for the 2020 graduates for whom employment status information was available. For 2022 graduates, the forecast is even brighter; a further 0.2 percentage point leap has taken the employment rate to 92.1%, marking the highest tally since the class of 1987 – a year which saw an employment rate of 92.2%.
These recent statics, highlighted in the report, mark the highest points of graduate law employment in three and a half decades. Yet, these results do not mask the stubborn existence of racial and ethnic disparities in employment in the legal profession. The NALP’s report underscores the importance of addressing these gaps, as the sector moves forward.
Additional details and contextual insights can be gleaned from a thorough consideration of NALP’s comprehensive report. It offers an in-depth look into the current employment landscape for law school graduates, capturing both the steps forward made and the challenges that persist.