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As law schools close the book on an eventful year, the landscape of legal education is undergoing significant shifts. From changes to admissions and bar exams to the integration of emerging technologies, here are the major trends shaping the future of legal education and the legal profession.
Enrollment Surge in 2025
Law school enrollment is poised for a remarkable upswing in 2025. Applications to ABA-accredited law schools have surged by 25% compared to this time last year, following an already strong 2024 admissions cycle that saw a 6% rise in applicants and a 5% increase in first-year students.
Experts attribute this surge to heightened interest in legal careers amid a politically charged environment and the pivotal role of law in current affairs. However, this increased interest means tougher competition, especially for elite institutions. Applicants with LSAT scores between 175 and 180—the highest possible range—are up 32%, while those scoring between 170 and 174 have risen by 30%.
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Shifts in Law Student Diversity
The fall 2024 entering class marked the first cohort admitted after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling banning affirmative action. While overall diversity in ABA-accredited law schools held steady, top-ranked “T-14” law schools saw an 8% decline in Black first-year students and a 9% drop in Hispanic students.
Advocates caution that the true impact of the affirmative action ban may take years to materialize. As undergraduate diversity diminishes, law schools may face challenges in maintaining diverse applicant pools. For now, however, the interest among underrepresented groups remains robust, with Black applicants up 36% and Hispanic applicants up 29%.
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The Growing Influence of Artificial Intelligence
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is steadily making its way into legal education, driven by rapid adoption within the legal profession. Northwestern University law professor Daniel Linna estimates that about 5% of law faculty are actively incorporating AI into their teaching.
Courses specifically focused on AI, such as those at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, are becoming more common. Some law school clinics are leveraging generative AI to enhance client services and improve access to justice, while legal writing instructors are weaving AI tools into traditional coursework.
Linna emphasizes the urgency: “Students should be demanding this because employers are using these tools.” Law schools that fail to integrate AI risk leaving their graduates unprepared for a tech-driven legal landscape.
Changes to the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) continues to evolve, with the removal of the “logic games” section marking a significant shift. This change, along with the American Bar Association’s decision to no longer require standardized tests for admission, reflects a broader trend toward accessibility in legal education.
Disruptions and Opportunities
Law schools faced disruptions in 2024 from campus protests over global issues such as the war in Gaza, underscoring the role of law students as active participants in societal debates. Meanwhile, California, home to the nation’s second-largest bar exam cohort, implemented substantial changes to its bar exam format. With over 11,300 test-takers in 2023, these changes will have a ripple effect on how future lawyers prepare for licensure.
The Road Ahead
As we head into 2025, law schools stand at the intersection of tradition and innovation. From record-breaking enrollment numbers to integrating cutting-edge technology, these institutions are adapting to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. The legal profession’s future hinges on how well law schools prepare their students for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
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