Number of law graduates in the U.S. 2013-2023

The number of law graduates in the United States steadily declined between 2013 and 2019. Between 2020 and 2022 there was a slight increase in the number of graduates, however this number fell again in 2023. The share of unemployed law graduates in the United States followed approximately the same trend: the percentage of law students who did not find a job after graduating in 2019 was roughly half the share recorded in 2013, before increasing again in 2020, and falling in the following years.

Career opportunities

Law school graduates can undertake many career paths. Legal occupations can be primarily distinguished between lawyers, judges, and judicial workers on one hand, and legal support workers, such as paralegals and legal assistants, on the other. In 2023, the outright majority of professionals employed in legal occupations in the United States were lawyers. According to the same study, lawyers were also the highest-paid workers in the sector, followed by judges and magistrates.

Leading law firms

The United States are home to some of the most renowned law firms in the world. In 2022, Wachtell was the leading law firms in the country in terms of revenue per lawyer, as Kirkland & Ellis generated the highest gross revenue. Baker Mckenzie was the company in the United States with the highest number of lawyers employed. In fact, the multinational firm headquartered in Chicago employed roughly 500 more lawyers than DLA Piper, who were second in the rankings.