NALP Bulletin, June 2020

From 2008 to 2011, following the Great Recession, the number of entry-level Big Law jobs reported within NALP's Employment Report and Salary Survey collapsed, with the number reported dropping by more than 3,100 jobs (for our purposes, we will define Big Law firms as those of more than 250 lawyers). Since then the number of Big Law jobs has steadily risen, increasing by almost 2,000; however, for the Class of 2018 there were still almost 1,150 fewer entry-level jobs in large law firms than there were for the Class of 2008. (See Chart 1.)

NALP's annual Survey of Legal Employers on Recruiting provides us with complementary trend data on the total number of 2L students participating in summer programs, offer volumes for summer programs, and the total number of callback invitations extended. These raw numbers are dependent upon the number of offices participating in the survey each year but provide us with insight into how summer programs have rebounded alongside the entry-level Big Law employment sector.

As seen in Table 1, the total number of 2Ls participating in summer programs fell dramatically from 5,033 in 2008 to only 1,881 in 2010, or just a little more than one-third of the number from two years prior. After bottoming out in summer 2010, the number of 2Ls participating in summer programs began to slowly increase in 2011, before jumping up to about 4,500 in 2013 and holding relatively steady between 4,300-4,500 from 2013-2015. These numbers spiked again in 2016 and exceeded the summer 2008 numbers for the first time since the Great Recession, increasing to roughly 5,300. Despite some fluctuations, these reported numbers have remained above the summer 2008 figure since 2016, reaching their highest point in summer 2019, with nearly 5,600 2Ls participating in summer programs.

Further analyses of these data indicate that these numbers vary considerably by firm size. The largest firms of 701+ lawyers have seen their share of 2L students participating in summer programs increase from about 55% of all summer 2Ls in 2008 to 74% of all summer 2Ls in 2019. During the same period of time, the number of offices reporting data that are in firms of 701+ lawyers has grown substantially, increasing from 136 in 2008 to 233 in 2019. Of course, this period has been marked by fairly dramatic law firm consolidation, and so there are more firms of 701+ lawyers than there were in 2008. The total number of 2L students participating in summer programs in all other firm sizes remain below their 2008 figures, except for firms of 251-500 lawyers. (See Table 2.)

Table 3 reports the total number of offers made to 2Ls for summer programs. These offers were made in the preceding fall (e.g., fall 2019 for summer 2020 programs). More than 11,000 offers were made in fall 2008 for summer 2009 programs. For summer 2010 programs, the number of offers made fell to less than 4,000, or about one-third the number of offers from the previous year. Beginning with summer 2011 programs, offer volumes began increasing steadily, before jumping up by almost 4,440 offers over summer 2013 to approximately 10,500 offers for summer 2014 programs. Interestingly, the total number of 2Ls participating in summer 2014 programs was actually slightly lower than the total number from summer 2013. Overall, offer volumes have continued to increase since bottoming out in summer 2010, despite some occasional small dips from year to year. Volumes have exceeded their summer 2009 class figures since summer 2015, and for summer 2020 offer volumes were nearly 2,200 higher than for summer 2009.

When examining offer volumes by firm size, we see similar trends to the number of 2L students reporting participation in summer programs. Firms of 701+ lawyers have seen their share of offers increase from 63% of total offer volume for summer 2009 programs to 78% of total offer volume for summer 2020 programs. Offer volumes in all other firm sizes remain below their summer 2009 program figures, except for firms of 251-500 lawyers. (See Table 4.)

As with offer volumes, the number of callback invitations to 2Ls for summer programs declined dramatically as the Great Recession hit. Callback invitations were extended in the preceding fall (e.g., fall 2019 for summer 2020 programs). The number of callback invitations extended for summer 2010 programs dropped nearly 60% compared to the number of callback invitations for summer 2009 programs. Like the offers-made figures, the number of callback invitations started to increase for summer 2011, but picked up dramatically for summer 2014 programs, increasing by nearly 12,000 invitations over the previous year. With just one brief step backward, callback invitations have continued to increase since reaching their summer 2010 valley and at nearly 35,000 invitations for summer 2020, now stand at their highest point since prior to the Great Recession. The total number of callback invitations has exceeded the summer 2009 program figure since summer 2017. (See Table 5.)

Again, looking at these numbers by firm size reveals similar patterns to those seen with summer 2Ls and offer volumes, with the share of callback invitations from firms of 701+ lawyers increasing from 58% of all callback invitations for summer 2009 programs to 74% of all callback invitations for summer 2020 programs. Similarly, the total number of callback invitations declined from summer 2009 to summer 2020 in all other firm sizes, except those of 251-500 lawyers. (See Table 6.)

These raw numbers suggest that despite the most recent Big Law entry-level job market figures remaining below their Class of 2008 levels, summer program participation had fully recovered as of the 2019 summer class. And while it remains to be seen exactly how the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will impact future summer program participation and employment outcomes, it is sure to have an impact and summer 2019 numbers are likely to stand as a high-water mark for some time to come.

Chart 1. Number of 2Ls Participating in Summer Programs and Number of Entry-Level Big Law Jobs, 2008 - 2019

Sources: NALP's Perspectives on Law Student Recruiting, 2008-2019 and Jobs & JDs, Classes of 2008-2018.
Note: Data for 2Ls include the number of 2Ls participating in summer programs in the year listed. Data on entry-level big law jobs (defined as those in law firms of 251+ lawyers) are for the graduating class year referenced. Data on entry-level big-law jobs for the Class of 2019 are not yet available as of the time of publication.

Table 1: Total Number of 2Ls Participating in Summer Programs, 2008 – 2019

Source: NALP's Perspectives on Law Student Recruiting, 2008-2019.

Table 2. Total Number of 2Ls Participating in Summer Programs by Firm Size, 2008 - 2019

Source: NALP's Perspectives on Law Student Recruiting, 2008-2019.
Note: *Firm sizes of 501-700 lawyers and 701+ lawyers were combined into a category of 501+ lawyers in 2010 because relatively few responses were received from firms of 501-700 lawyers.
NA: Not available

Table 3: Total Offer Volume for Summer Programs for 2Ls, 2009 - 2020

Source: NALP's Perspectives on Law Student Recruiting, 2008-2019.
Note: Offers were made in the preceding fall (e.g., fall 2019 for summer 2020 programs).

Table 4. Total Offer Volume for Summer Programs for 2Ls by Firm Size, 2009 - 2020

Source: NALP's Perspectives on Law Student Recruiting, 2008-2019.
Notes: *Firm sizes of 501-700 lawyers and 701+ lawyers were combined into a category of 501+ lawyers for summer 2011 because relatively few responses were received from firms of 501-700 lawyers.
Offers were made in the preceding fall (e.g., fall 2019 for summer 2020 programs).
NA: Not available

Table 5. Total Number of Callback Invitations Extended for Summer Programs for 2Ls, 2009 - 2020

Source: NALP's Perspectives on Law Student Recruiting, 2008-2019. Note: Callback invitations were extended in the preceding fall (e.g., fall 2019 for summer 2020 programs).

Table 6. Total Number of Callback Invitations Extended for Summer Programs for 2Ls by Firm Size, 2009 - 2020

Source: NALP's Perspectives on Law Student Recruiting, 2008-2019.
Notes: *Firm sizes of 501-700 lawyers and 701+ lawyers were combined into a category of 501+ lawyers for summer 2011 because relatively few responses were received from firms of 501-700 lawyers.
Callback invitations were extended in the preceding fall (e.g., fall 2019 for summer 2020 programs).
NA: Not available