Demographic Shifts in the Legal Profession Jennifer Lewin Director, Knowledge Management & Governance ABA Division for Bar Services National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago IL
The Smartest People Are Opting Out of Law School April 15, 2015 Why Attending Law School is the Worst Career Decision You’ll Ever Make June 26, 2012 Law Schools and Industry Show Signs of Life, Despite Forecasts of Doom March 31, 2015 First-Year Law School Enrollment At 1977 Levels December 17, 2013 A Steep Slide in Law School Enrollment Accelerates December 17, 2014
I Data
% Change in New Admittees from 2013 to 2014 State % #lawyers State % #lawyers AZ -4% (-44) NH +15% (+16) CA -2% (-147) OH -10% (-135) FL -3% (-114) SC -22% (-139) MI -1% (-13) WI -13% (-86) National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago
Sampling of New Admittee Stats We are here
On the other end of the demographic spectrum State Bar of Michigan
On the other end of the demographic spectrum New Hampshire Bar Association
So, what does this mean for the profession and our bars? National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago
National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago The Not-Terrible News LS applications no longer in freefall Projections that law school enrollments will level out in the next 4-6 years Better match of graduates to # of jobs that actually are available Many lawyers don’t retire at 65 Many ramp down their practices gradually National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago
My Highly-Asterisked Prediction In 2025, the US lawyer population will be smaller, but not by much More lawyers will be working viable jobs More lawyers in the right places Geographically (though that will matter less) Providing accessible/flexible services Biggest unknown: how technology/automation will continue to affect the profession National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago
National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago What Should We Be Doing? Model the 10-year demographic picture in our states/jurisdictions Ensure we ID/connect with every new admittee Ensure lawyers transitioning out of practice have a home if they want one Give our mid-career stalwarts some love Bring all members together around issues of mutual concern National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago
National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago State Bar of Arizona State Bar of California The Florida Bar State Bar of Michigan New Hampshire Bar Association Ohio State Bar Association South Carolina Bar State Bar of Wisconsin National Association of Bar Executives 2015 Annual Meeting - Chicago