W&L Law Releases 2016 Graduate Employment Report
Washington and Lee University School of Law has released a report on employment rates for its class of 2016.
Data from the Office of Career Strategy show another year of strong performance in employment over previous years. The report measures employment 10 months after graduation.
According to the report, 84 percent of the class of 2016 has secured a full-time job that either requires bar passage or for which a J.D. degree is an advantage. The overall employment rate for the class including all employment types and graduate school is over 90 percent.
“We are really proud of and happy for the members of the class of 2016,” said Cliff Jarrett ‘91L, assistant dean for career strategy. “They significantly outperformed the national average in passing their bar exams and did a great job of utilizing the W&L network and resources to find meaningful, interesting and fulfilling work. Our alumni were an invaluable asset to this class and I appreciate their continued support to our students and recent graduates on the career front.”
The employment report, available online, was prepared in accordance with requirements of the American Bar Association and includes summary data about the employment status of the 95 graduates in the class of 2016.
The report shows graduates working in a diverse range of jobs. 42 percent are heading to law firms, and nearly a quarter of those will be working for “Big Law,” typically firms with over 500 lawyers. 8 percent are working in government, 8 percent in business or industry, and 8 percent in public interest jobs such as legal aid offices.
Related: Law students discuss their career paths.
One particular area of strength for W&L Law has always been placement in federal and state clerkships, and this remains the case for the class of 2016. 21 percent of those employed are clerking, including placements in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and federal district courts in Alabama, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. as well as state courts in Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
These 95 graduates are employed in 22 states and one foreign country, Nigeria. The top geographic areas for employment are Virginia, the District of Columbia, and New York, followed by Florida, North Carolina and Alabama.
