Legal industry employment climbed for the fifth consecutive month in July, edging close to its late-2023 peak despite broader economic headwinds. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the sector has regained much of the ground lost during past downturns, though overall growth since the mid-2000s has been modest. Large firms have expanded significantly, boosting lawyer headcounts, raising billing rates, and driving record compensation for top attorneys, while technological efficiencies have reduced reliance on support staff. The trend underscores the growing divide between elite firms and the rest of the legal market, with automation and AI poised to reshape staffing even further.
See "US legal jobs are rising again, but gains are mixed", David Thomas and Mike Scarcella, Reuters, August 14, 2025