(Reuters) - Two-thirds of Black students who graduated law school last year landed jobs within 10 months that required passing the bar exam, compared to 81% of white law grads, according to new data from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP).
The organization’s latest jobs report, released Wednesday, highlights persistent racial disparities in entry-level legal employment. The imbalances range from overall employment rates and median pay to employment in highly sought-after federal clerkships and practice settings.
Overall, 78% of the J.D. class of 2021 obtained a job that requires passing the bar. That figure was 81% for white graduates; 77% for Hispanic graduates; 76% for Asian graduates; 69% for Native American or Alaska Native graduates; 66% for Black graduates; and 58.5% for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander graduates.
“I’m really troubled by these gaps,” said NALP executive director Jim Leipold. “Particularly for Native Americans, Native Hawaiians and Black graduates, because those gaps are large.”
Leipold cautioned that the employment rates for Native Americans and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders are “more volatile” due to the small size of both groups. The number of Black law graduates is stable, in contrast, yet their employment outcomes persistently lag behind those of white classmates, he said.
Both law schools and law firms have done a better job of recruiting diverse students and summer associates over the past two years, Leipold said,...
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