Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a drop of roughly 1,400 jobs in January for the legal industry.
January doesn’t appear to be a great month for the legal industry in the United States. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics released the monthly data showing a loss of 1,400 jobs.
Although the data can be adjusted, current numbers are believed to be at 1,122,800 people working in the legal industry. The month of December had 1,124,200 people working in the legal industry. This drop from December to January is not as bad as it could have been with the initial December number released as 1,128,000. The number was then lowered nearly 4,000.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Report
However bad the numbers may seem, things are still better than a year ago. Last January, the numbers had 7,600 fewer people working in the industry, which includes attorneys and other legal professionals. Employment numbers have been up and down all year.
Legal Industry Jobs Grow in December
Demand for legal services has been reported as stagnant by industry observers and consultants. Law firms are left to compete for work with several mergers and layoffs happening. One recent example of lay-offs is by Reed Smith letting go of 45 lawyers and other staff in early January.
Labor Bureau Says Legal Industry Lost 25,000 Jobs in Recession
The nonfarm U.S. employment rose by 151,000 jobs in January. The biggest gains were in retail, health care, food services, and manufacturing.
Source: http://www.americanlawyer.com/id=1202748954557/Jobs-Report-Legal-Sector-Has-Rocky-Start-in-2016
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