The National Association for Law Placement has released its employment findings for the law school class of 2025. Data indicates that 92.8 percent of graduates secured employment within ten months of finishing their degrees. While this represents a slight decrease from the 93.4 percent rate seen in 2024, the outcome remains strong due to a reduction in the overall number of graduates entering the market. The class size dropped by 7 percent, which helped balance the 7.7 percent decline in available entry-level roles.
Private practice remains the primary destination for new lawyers, accounting for 60.9 percent of all placements. Large firms with more than 500 attorneys continue to be a major force, though their hiring volume saw a minor dip to 33.2 percent of the market. Conversely, smaller shops with one to ten attorneys picked up more talent, accounting for 26.4 percent of new hires. These shifts suggest that while the post-pandemic talent wars have moderated, the private sector maintains a firm grip on new legal talent.
Public interest and government roles faced significant headwinds this year. Federal government employment excluding judicial clerkships dropped by 37 percent, falling to approximately 690 positions. The District of Columbia felt this shift most acutely, recording a hiring decline 5.5 percentage points steeper than the national average. Overall, positions in government, public interest, and clerkships accounted for 31 percent of total placements, a 1.7 percent decrease compared to the previous year.
Financial outcomes for the class showed mixed results across sectors. The median starting salary across all jobs reached 100,000 dollars, marking a 5.3 percent increase. Public service salaries saw modest growth, though they continue to lag behind private practice compensation. Interestingly, the median salary in private practice dipped by 3.1 percent to 155,000 dollars, a trend analysts attribute to changes in the types of roles being filled rather than cuts to base pay. Despite these shifts, 2025 graduates report high levels of satisfaction, with only 6.7 percent actively seeking a new position.