Robust job market, but less so for minorities

The Class of 2022 enjoyed the strongest and most robust legal job market in 35 years. But it was not great for everyone.

The National Association for Law Placement said minorities and first-generation college students lag behind.

“The persistent disparities we see in the employment outcomes for graduates of color under-scores the need for all legal employers to stand firm on their DEI commitments,” said Nikia Gray, NALP’s Executive Director. “Despite the recent backlash against such initiatives, the fact that year after year Black, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander graduates fare significantly worse in the job market compared to their peers demonstrates the need to continue working towards a more equitable and inclusive legal industry.”

Among the findings in NALP’s 49th consecutive edition of its Jobs & JDs, Employment and Salaries of New Law Graduates, Class of 2022, graduates who were white saw the highest employment rates at 93.4%.

Native Alaskans and Americans had the lowest employment rate — at just 86.5%. Jobs that required or anticipated bar admission also saw the highest employment rates among whites at 82.7% while black graduates sat at 70.6%.

For many minorities, the employment rates among private practices remained low. The private practice employment rate ranged from 42.2% to 51.8% for many classes of minorities with Asian graduates having the highest rate among minorities at 65.7%.

First-generation college students reported a 92.1% employment rate, and law school graduates with disabilities reported a 88.5% rate. Employment for those who have disabilities is less likely to be within a private practice as well.

Employed gender non-binary graduates were more than four times as likely to obtain a public interest position as compared to graduates overall (38.9% vs. 9.2%). LGBTQ graduates were more than twice as likely to be employed in public interest (20.1%).

Median starting salaries for employed graduates by race/ethnicity ranged from $75,000 for Native American and Alaska graduates to $170,000 for Asian graduates. The national median salary for all Class of 2022 law graduates was $85,000. The higher median salary for Asian graduates can be partially attributed to greater levels of private practice employment, particularly within large firms.