The racial employment gap among new US lawyers grew for the class of 2025, according to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). Most graduates found jobs. However, their success rates varied by race and ethnicity.
White graduates had a 94.4% employment rate. Graduates of color had a rate of 90.8%. Black graduates had the lowest rate at 87%.
The gap was wider for jobs requiring or expecting bar admission. These roles offer a direct path to legal practice. Therefore, the findings raise concerns about job access and law firm hiring.
NALP released the findings on October 14, 2026. Its annual
Jobs & JDs: Employment and Salaries of New Law Graduates report tracks new graduates’ career outcomes. It measures employment about 10 months after graduation.
Key Takeaways
- White graduates: 94.4% found jobs, compared with 90.8% of graduates of color.
- Black graduates: Their employment rate was the lowest at 87%.
- Attorney jobs: 87.1% of white graduates secured jobs requiring or expecting bar admission. The rate for graduates of color was 81.6%.
- First-generation graduates: Their overall employment rate was 92.3%.
- Career paths: Graduates entered private practice, government, and public interest work at different rates.
- Report findings: The data shows employment gaps but does not explain their causes.
Racial Gaps Persist for Law Graduates
NALP tracks jobs held by recent law school graduates. Its latest report shows that a strong job market does not mean equal results for everyone.
White graduates had a 94.4% employment rate. By comparison, graduates of color had a rate of 90.8%.
Black graduates had the lowest rate at 87%. Meanwhile, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander graduates had the highest rate at 96.3%.
Other groups also reported different results:
- White graduates: 94.4%
- Native American and Alaska Native graduates: 94.4%
- Multiracial graduates: 92.4%
- Asian graduates: 91.9%
- Middle Eastern and North African graduates: 91.7%
- Hispanic or Latino graduates: 91.2%
- Black or African American graduates: 87%
These figures include jobs inside and outside the legal field. Therefore, they do not show how many graduates found attorney positions.
Black Graduates Have the Lowest Employment Rate
Black graduates had an 87% employment rate in 2025. This was lower than the rates for white graduates and several other groups.
Their rate also fell from 90% in 2024 to 87% in 2025.
This decline highlights the need to track job outcomes by race. However, the data does not explain why the rate fell.
Attorney Employment Gaps
The gap grew wider for jobs requiring or expecting bar admission.
White graduates had an 87.1% employment rate in these roles. Graduates of color had a rate of 81.6%.
Black graduates had the lowest rate at 72.6%. In contrast, Middle Eastern and North African graduates had the highest rate at 87.4%.
These jobs offer a direct path into legal practice. Some require bar admission, while others expect graduates to obtain it.
As a result, these gaps may affect early careers and future earnings.
Why Attorney Jobs Matter
A law degree opens doors to many careers. Graduates may work in law firms, government, business, or public interest groups.
However, not all legal careers require bar admission. Some business roles use legal skills without involving legal practice.
For this reason, overall employment rates do not tell the full story. Law schools and recruiters should also examine the types of jobs graduates secure.
Law Firm Jobs by Race
NALP also found differences in graduates’ career choices.
Middle Eastern and North African graduates had the highest rate of private practice employment, at 71.5%. Asian graduates had the highest rate of employment at firms with more than 500 lawyers.
Black graduates had a 12.8% rate of employment in public interest work. Their rate for business jobs was 10.1%.
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander graduates had the highest rate of government employment, at 26.9%. Native American and Alaska Native graduates had the highest judicial clerkship rate, at 11.9%.
These figures show different career patterns. However, they do not explain why graduates chose these roles or whether hiring practices caused the gaps.
First-Gen Graduates Face Job Gaps
Family education was another factor linked to employment outcomes.
First-generation college graduates had a 92.3% employment rate. By comparison, continuing-generation graduates had a rate of 94.1%.
Graduates with at least one parent who held a law degree had the highest rate at 95.1%.
The gap also appeared in jobs requiring or expecting bar admission. First-generation graduates had an 82.1% employment rate in these roles.
The rate was 87.2% for continuing-generation graduates. It rose to 89.5% for graduates with at least one parent who held a law degree.
These results show differences linked to family education. However, the report does not identify a single cause.
Legal Diversity and Hiring
The findings come as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs face greater scrutiny across the legal field.
Federal agencies have reviewed some law firm hiring practices. Meanwhile, some legal groups have faced pressure over their diversity programs.
Data collection is also a concern. Nearly 50 law firms that once shared demographic data with NALP did not submit the same information in the latest reporting cycle. This makes it harder to track diversity trends across law firms.
Reliable data helps law schools and employers study hiring patterns. Without consistent reports, comparing results over time becomes more difficult.
However, law firm diversity surveys and graduate employment reports measure different things. Readers should not treat them as the same data.
Impact on Law Firms and Schools
The NALP report offers useful data for law schools, recruiters, and employers.
First, overall employment rates can hide gaps between groups. Therefore, employers should review both total employment and access to attorney jobs.
Second, law schools can use these findings to review career services. They can also improve employer outreach and help students explore different career paths.
Recruiters can review their hiring and retention data as well. This may help them spot patterns that need further study.
Still, the report does not prove that discrimination or a specific hiring policy caused the gaps. More research is needed to explain the results.
Outlook for New US Lawyers
Most graduates in the class of 2025 found jobs. However, employment rates still varied by race and family education.
Black graduates had the lowest overall employment rate among the groups listed. They also had the lowest rate for jobs requiring or expecting bar admission.
First-generation college graduates also had lower employment rates than those with more family experience in higher education.
These findings give law firms and law schools a reason to examine hiring outcomes. Future reports may show whether the gaps grow or shrink.
Tracking these trends can help the legal field better understand job access for new lawyers.
FAQs
What is the racial employment gap among new lawyers?
The racial employment gap refers to differences in job rates among law graduates from different racial and ethnic groups. NALP found that 94.4% of white graduates had jobs, compared with 87% of Black graduates.
Which group had the lowest employment rate?
Black or African American graduates had the lowest overall employment rate among the groups listed. Their rate was 87%.
How did race affect attorney employment rates?
White graduates had an 87.1% employment rate for jobs requiring or expecting bar admission. The rate was 81.6% for graduates of color and 72.6% for Black graduates.
What does the NALP employment report measure?
NALP’s annual
Jobs & JDs report tracks jobs and salaries for recent law school graduates. It covers employment status, job types, and differences across demographic groups.
Did first-generation graduates face employment gaps?
Yes. First-generation college graduates had a 92.3% employment rate. The rate was 94.1% for continuing-generation graduates and 95.1% for graduates with at least one parent who held a law degree.
Does the report explain why the employment gap grew?
No. The report shows differences in employment rates but does not explain their causes. More research is needed to identify the reasons behind these gaps.
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Racial Disparities Rise in Employment for New Lawyers first appeared on
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