The highest recorded legal sector employment level was in February, with 1,190,300 jobs
The US Labor Department’s data has revealed that the legal services sector added 1,600 jobs in September, marking a positive shift after several months of job losses.
Reuters reported the sector’s employment reached 1,181,400 jobs last month, based on preliminary seasonally adjusted figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The sector had been in steady decline since April when the job count was at 1,188,200. The latest numbers reflect a reversal of that trend, with September showing growth as part of broader improvements in the US labour market. The national unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent, reducing the likelihood of further large interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve at its remaining meetings this year.
The highest legal sector employment level in 2024 was recorded in February, with 1,190,300 jobs. The September figures suggested the sector is on the path to recovery from the dip it experienced earlier in the year.
John Cashman, president of legal recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa, said demand for legal personnel has been strong in recent months. "We've seen very steady, noticeable hiring across various geographic regions and legal practice areas," Cashman said, describing the trend as "robust."
The labor department’s figures encompass a wide range of legal professionals, including lawyers, paralegals, and legal assistants, employed at law firms, companies, and other organizations of all sizes. While lawyers represent the majority of workers in this sector, the demand for support roles such as paralegals has also been a contributing factor to the job growth.
In addition to employment growth, US law firms reported solid financial performance in the first half of 2024. Wells Fargo's Legal Specialty Group revealed an 11.4 percent increase in revenue compared to the same period last year, reflecting strong demand in the sector.
Further, data from the Thomson Reuters Institute's Law Firm Financial Index indicated that demand for transactional legal services, which had been sluggish for nearly three years, is now on the rise.
