Like any other trend analysis, we are always looking at year-over-year data of various metrics, in order to gain some understanding of what is going on in the legal market. While the data is still coming in on the results of this year’s August session of On-Campus Interviews, and we’ll also evaluate the results of the October session when the time comes, I think we can say without question there is momentum in a positive direction. Let’s start with a few numbers: 67 employers registered for Session I of On-Campus Interviews this year, versus 61 a year ago, nearly a 10% increase. As or more important, the average number of interviews each employer conducted rose 9%, from 9.57 to 10.43. We are constantly communicating with employers about the tremendous value that the entire class of students at Baylor possesses, and it’s fantastic to see employers taking note. The result of the previous to statistics is that we saw an increase in total interviews conducted go from 584 in 2014, to 699 in 2015, a nearly 20% increase. Put these numbers in context with other recent data and you can begin to talk about the market getting going again. This past spring we saw, for the first time since the recession, an increase in the percentage of entry-level lawyers finding a job. We can also now look back upon 2010 and 2011 as the low-point in the hiring market and see a slow, gradual, but steady uptick in the years since. Specifically here at Baylor, we can see that over the past 12 months there were 247 “entry-level” positions posted through Symplicity, which is up nearly 10% over the prior year (225 from 2013-14), and a significant 56% over the same period from 2012 to 2013. The data I’ve outlined above appears to not only be evidence of a demand increase on the part of employers, but also highlights the supply decrease in terms of candidates, which also works to your benefit. We know that law school entering classes have decreased substantially over the past few years, with the most recent class the smallest since the 1980s. This combination of more jobs and fewer candidates has led to an improved job market for law students and graduates. Amidst all the good news, we should keep in mind that we’re still a long way away from where we were in the early and mid-2000s, and it doesn’t appear those numbers are coming back anytime soon. We also continue to see big shifts in the big-law market and model, which ultimately impacts the entire profession. Finally, there is the issue of “underemployment,” which is reflected in the still historically low numbers of new graduates getting jobs practicing law (i.e. many of the new jobs are in non-practicing categories such as compliance or general business), as well as relatively stagnant salaries. Even considering those concerns, it’s encouraging to see positive movement once again on a scale that we can see, touch and feel. There's no question it is still an employer's market, but the signs are there that it's starting to move back in your direction! We are here to help you take advantage of this momentum, so please come by our office any time to visit with us and formulate your job search strategy. Job of the Week: Each week I highlight a job in Symplicity you might be interested in but may have missed. This week's job is: Associate Attorney at Capshaw Green, PLLC (Texarkana, 3L/Alumni) Log in to Symplicity to view this job and apply.
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