The job market for law school graduates has remained remarkably strong, but new research from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) reveals that the benefits are not evenly distributed. Despite historically high employment rates among the Class of 2024, racial disparities in hiring and access to key legal positions persist—and in some cases, have widened.
A Strong Market for New Lawyers
According to NALP’s newly released data, 93.4% of 2024 law graduates found employment within ten months of earning their Juris Doctor (JD) degree. This represents one of the most favorable hiring environments in over a decade, driven by law firm demand, robust corporate hiring, and steady public sector opportunities.
However, the encouraging topline number masks significant differences when employment outcomes are broken down by race and ethnicity.
White graduates reported the highest overall employment rate at 94.7%, compared with 92.3% for Latino graduates, 92.0% for Asian graduates, and 89.7% for Black graduates. Interestingly, Native American or Alaska Native graduates posted the highest rate among all groups, at 94.8%.
These results mirror trends observed in previous years, in which graduates of color were less likely to secure positions immediately after graduation despite improvements in the overall hiring landscape.
Persistent Gaps in Legal Roles Requiring Bar Passage
While overall employment remained strong, a deeper look at the quality of jobs obtained by graduates reveals persistent—and troubling—racial disparities.
Jobs requiring bar passage, such as those in law firms, government agencies, and judicial clerkships, are typically considered the most desirable and career-advancing positions for new attorneys. In this category, 84.3% of 2024 JDs were employed ten months after graduation.
Breaking that figure down further shows stark differences:
- White graduates: 86.5%
- Asian graduates: 83.8%
- Latino graduates: 83.4%
- Native American/Alaska Native graduates: 79.4%
- Black graduates: 74.3%
The gap between white and Black graduates in these positions has grown from 11 percentage points in 2023 to 12 percentage points in 2024—an alarming sign that progress toward equity in the profession remains uneven.
These figures indicate that while most law graduates are finding jobs, access to the most prestigious and influential legal roles remains unevenly distributed along racial lines.
Policy Shifts and External Pressures
The report’s release comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts across industries—including the legal sector.
Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump’s administration has taken a more restrictive stance on DEI initiatives, arguing that some diversity programs may violate employment and civil rights laws. This has created uncertainty for law firms, corporations, and educational institutions that have long prioritized inclusion in hiring and promotion practices.
Earlier in 2025, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requested detailed hiring data from 20 of the nation’s largest law firms, signaling a renewed focus on how DEI-related practices intersect with federal employment regulations. The inquiry followed public warnings that some diversity-focused initiatives might be legally problematic.
Implications for Law Schools and Employers
For law schools, the data serve as a critical reminder that access to post-graduate employment—especially in high-impact legal roles—remains inequitable. While many institutions have expanded mentoring programs and career development initiatives aimed at underrepresented students, the NALP findings suggest that structural barriers in hiring persist.
Employers, too, face a challenge. The widening gap in bar passage-required positions indicates that diverse hiring pipelines are still not translating into equal opportunity. Firms and legal departments will need to revisit their recruitment practices, mentorship structures, and evaluation criteria to ensure that bias—implicit or otherwise—does not undermine the career prospects of talented graduates of color.
A Call for Sustained Action
The findings point to a paradox within the legal profession: even amid one of the strongest markets in years, equitable outcomes remain elusive.
The data from NALP make clear that solving this problem requires more than economic opportunity—it demands sustained commitment to diversity and fairness in hiring, training, and promotion.
The Road Ahead
As the legal field adapts to shifting political and economic conditions, the question remains whether the profession will prioritize equity as strongly as efficiency. For now, the evidence shows that a booming job market has not erased long-standing racial gaps in legal hiring—it has merely exposed them more clearly.
Law students and new graduates seeking equitable, high-quality legal opportunities can explore thousands of verified openings on LawCrossing—the leading legal job board designed to connect candidates with employers committed to diversity, inclusion, and professional excellence.
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