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In a highly competitive legal job market, the University of Virginia School of Law emerged as the leader in job placement for its 2022 juris doctor graduates. According to recent data released by the American Bar Association (ABA), over 95% of Virginia Law’s 2022 graduates secured permanent, full-time positions that required passing the bar exam. This impressive statistic propelled the school to claim the top spot among all 197 American Bar Association-accredited law schools.
The University of Virginia’s exceptional performance in job placement surpassed that of prestigious institutions such as Columbia Law School, which held the top position for job placement among the 2021 law graduates. It was a close race at the top, with Duke Law School and Columbia Law School following closely behind Virginia Law, both with job placement rates above 95%. The University of Georgia School of Law and New York University School of Law rounded out the top five, each boasting employment rates of over 94%.
Kevin Donovan, the senior assistant dean for career development at Virginia Law, expressed his admiration for the students’ ability to navigate the challenging market changes during the pandemic. Despite the unprecedented circumstances, the class of 2022 demonstrated resilience and adaptability, securing highly sought-after positions in the legal field.
The ABA’s recently released employment data for the class of 2022 highlights a robust job market for law graduates. Nearly 78% of the juris doctor recipients found employment requiring bar passage within ten months of leaving campus, a significant increase from the class of 2021, which saw a rate of about 76%. This employment rate even surpassed the figures from the pre-pandemic class of 2019, signifying a positive trend in job opportunities for aspiring legal professionals.
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Reuters conducted an analysis of the ABA’s data to identify the law schools whose graduates fared the best in the entry-level job market. Eight out of the so-called T-14 schools, which are ranked among the top 14 by U.S. News & World Report, secured positions for the highest percentage of their 2021 graduates in permanent, full-time roles requiring bar passage. While this number decreased to eight in 2022, it still demonstrates the continued excellence of these renowned institutions.
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Furthermore, public universities outside the T-14 showcased outstanding performance in job placement for the class of 2022. Alongside the University of Georgia, the University of Kansas School of Law, the University of Iowa College of Law, the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, the University of Minnesota Law School, the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law, and Indiana University Maurer School of Law—Bloomington featured among the top 20 law schools with a job placement rate of over 90%.
The University of Virginia School of Law’s banner year in job placement is a testament to the school’s commitment to providing its students with a strong foundation and the necessary skills to excel in the legal profession. By navigating the challenges presented by the pandemic, the class of 2022 demonstrated their tenacity and ability to seize opportunities, securing highly competitive positions within the legal field.
As the legal job market continues to evolve, these exceptional employment outcomes for law graduates bring optimism and motivation to aspiring legal professionals across the nation. The success of the University of Virginia School of Law and other esteemed institutions highlights the importance of quality education, career development support, and adaptability in preparing law students for the ever-changing demands of the legal industry.
