W&L Law Releases 2025 Graduate Employment Report According to the report, 94.5 percent of the class of 2025 is employed in J.D. required/preferred positions or pursuing a graduate degree.

By Law Communications
April 8, 2026

Washington and Lee University School of Law has released a report on employment rates for its class of 2025. The report, which measures employment 10 months after graduation, marks the fourth year in a row where more than 94 percent of the class is employed or in graduate school at this critical measuring point.

According to the report, nearly 93 percent of the class of 2025 secured a job that either requires bar passage or for which a J.D. degree is an advantage. The overall employment rate, including all professional employment types as well as students pursuing graduate school, is 94.5 percent.

“With an evolving legal recruiting market, W&L Law students continue to make impressive entry into the profession, joining the ranks of talented W&L Law alumni across the country,” said Freda Coleman-Jackson, Assistant Dean for Career Strategy. “We look forward to their professional success.”

The report shows graduates working in a diverse range of jobs, with a significant number in larger law firms and clerkships. Over 81 percent of those employed are heading to clerkships or law firms, and 64 percent of those graduates at firms are working at firms with over 250 lawyers. The remainder of the class is split among government, business, higher education, and public interest.

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 2025. Twenty-four members of that class are clerking in state and federal courts, including nine in federal district courts in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Virginia (2).

Related: Read more about our students’ career paths.

W&L Law’s geographic diversity remains strong with these graduates working in 23 different states and territories. The top geographic areas for employment are Virginia, New York, and Washington D.C., where 52 members of the class are working.

The employment report for the class of 2025 is available online and includes data about the employment status of all the 2025 graduates. An extensive summary including a list of law firm and clerkship placements also is available online.