US Legal Sector Employment Hits Record High in May Amid Strong Hiring Growth

The US legal sector posted another record employment high in May amid a strong month overall for jobs, according to new figures released on Friday by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The total number of jobs in the legal sector, including lawyers, paralegals, judges and legal assistants, reached 1,237,200 in May, an increase of 1,200 over April, preliminary figures show. That is up 7.6 per cent from five years ago and suggests that the rapid adoption of legal AI tools has not yet impacted staffing, even as experts predict it may do so in the near future.

Nationwide, non-farm payrolls increased by 172,000 jobs last month after rising by an upwardly revised 179,000 in April, according to the latest figures.

The number of jobs in the legal sector has been on a steady upward climb over the past year, with March the only month to have recorded a decline.

Law firms enjoyed a profitable 2025, and 2026 has also got off to a strong start, according to industry economic reports tracking factors such as demand and billing rates. The largest US law firms have begun boosting associate pay amid these favourable economic conditions — the first major salary increase since 2023.

Milbank on Tuesday said associates under its new pay scale will receive annual base salaries between $235,000 and $455,000, depending on seniority. That represents increases ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. McDermott Will & Schulte; Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan; Hueston Hennigan; and Katten Muchin Rosenman each said this week that they will match Milbank’s new pay scale.

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