New Law Grads Scrambling For Work

Where have all the law jobs gone?

For the fourth straight year, the percentage of law graduates gainfully employed a year out of school has dropped.

Not only that, but the employment rate in 2011 fell to its lowest level since 1994, according to the National Association of Legal Career Professionals (NALP). Nine months after their final law exam, just 85.6 percent of the law class of 2011 was working. That compares to a record high of 91.9 percent for the class of 2007, which graduated just before the recession hit in full force.

The truth behind the numbers is even grimmer, according to the New York Times. NALP counts any type of work — from big firms to Big Macs — as employment. Only two-thirds of those earning a paycheck were doing so at law-related jobs.

Source: NALP

That’s the lowest share since NALP began tracking this figure in 2001. Fewer than half of those employed in law jobs were in private practice.

Also striking is the number of fresh law grads seeking employment – close to 10 percent. That means there is plenty of prime talent out there hungry for work. Any. Work. At. All.

Hiring partners take note!

Source: New York Times

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