W&L Law Releases 2022 Graduate Employment Report According to the report, 96.6 percent of the class of 2022 secured a job that either requires bar passage or for which a J.D. degree is an advantage.

By Law Communications
April 6, 2023

Washington and Lee University School of Law has released a report on employment rates for its class of 2022. The report, which measures employment 10 months after graduation, shows another year of strong performance.

According to the report, 96.6 percent of the class of 2022 secured a 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 98.3 percent.

“The class of 2022 has shown a real sense of determination in reaching their employment goals over the last couple of years,” said Cliff Jarrett, Assistant Dean for Career Strategy. “To be able to achieve what they have achieved during a global pandemic is a true testament to their resilience. It is also a reflection of the support and assistance that our faculty, staff, and especially our loyal alumni have provided in the planning, mentoring, and execution of the career goals for those recent graduates.”

The report shows graduates working in a diverse range of jobs, with a significant number of graduates in larger law firms and clerkships. Almost 80 percent of those employed are heading to clerkships or law firms, and 23 percent of those graduates at firms are working for “Big Law,” firms with over 500 lawyers. The other 20 percent of the class is split between government, business, and public interest positions.

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 2022. Twenty-three members of that class are clerking in state and federal courts, including eleven in federal district courts in Virginia, New York, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Nevada, Louisiana, and Vermont. Two members of that class will also be clerking for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Federal Circuit.

W&L Law’s geographic diversity remains strong with these graduates going to work in 33 different states and territories. The top geographic areas for employment are Virginia, Washington D.C., and New York. The employment report for the class of 2022 is available online and includes data about the employment status of all the 2022 graduates. An extensive summary also is available online.

The Office of Career Strategy also is reporting positive employment news for the class of 2023. More than 87 percent of that class already is employed in bar passage required or JD advantage jobs, surpassing last year’s strong at-graduation rates.