Report reveals top US law schools for public interest and government jobs

The City University of New York School of Law (CUNY Law) has been recognized as the leading institution for funnelling graduates into public interest and government law jobs, according to a recent Reuters analysis.

Leveraging data from the American Bar Association (ABA), the report highlighted that over 55 percent of CUNY Law's 2023 graduates secured positions in these sectors within ten months of graduation – a rate significantly higher than any other law school.

Of the 206 juris doctors from CUNY Law's class of 2023, 88 embarked on careers in public interest, while 26 entered government roles. This continued a trend from the previous year.

Following CUNY Law in effectiveness at placing graduates in these roles was the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, where nearly 43.75 percent of its 2023 graduates secured jobs in government or public interest. Albany Law School also performed well, with 36.36 percent of its graduates moving into similar positions. Northern Kentucky University's Salmon P. Chase College of Law and the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School rounded out the top five, with 34.58 percent and 33.12 percent of their graduates, respectively, entering these fields.

The ABA’s employment data for the class of 2023 reflected a robust job market for new lawyers. Of the 34,934 juris doctor graduates last year, 85.6 percent landed full-time, permanent positions that require a bar passage or where a JD degree provides a significant advantage. This employment rate is the highest recorded in the past decade. Additionally, the smaller class size 2023, with 863 fewer graduates than the previous year, likely contributed to less competition for available positions.

Nationally, 11.1 percent of 2023 JD graduates secured government jobs, including roles at various local, state, and federal entities and military positions. Meanwhile, 8.9 percent took up positions in the public interest sector, including jobs as public defenders, labour union roles, and positions within organizations funded by the Legal Services Corp.

Dean Twinette Johnson of the University of the District of Columbia Law commented on her school’s success, noting that their strong placement rate in the public interest and government jobs aligns with the school’s "longstanding mission to train lawyers who are equipped with the practical knowledge, passion, and dedication to making meaningful contributions.”