The trends may make for a tougher job market for new lawyers
Law school applications have increased and long-term legal jobs have decreased in the US, according to new data.
There were 60,401 law school applicants this fall, up 8.7% from 55,580 in 2018, data from Law.com revealed.
Kellye Testy, president of the Law School Admissions Counsel, recommends job placement for new lawyers. She also said that some schools are surpassing their yield rates in previous years and are facing the prospect of larger class sizes than they are targeting.
There has also been an increase in applicants getting the highest score on the Law School Admission Test, with a 60% increase in scores between 175 and 180.
As law school applications increase, the American market is also experiencing a decline in full-time long-term JD advantage and bar-pass required jobs, according to the American Bar Association.
In 2017, there were a total of 26,293 graduates in jobs that fall under either category, down from 26,923 in 2016, 28,029 in 2015, and 31,160 in 2014.
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