Legal Sector Jobs Remain Stable Despite Government Shutdown
Law360 recently reported on the resilience of the US legal job market, which held steady in November despite the significant impact of the prolonged federal government shutdown.
According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the legal sector maintained 1,204,300 jobs in both October and November, representing a slight increase from September and adding 12,500 jobs compared to November 2024 - a 1.05% year-over-year increase.
Rachel Nonaka, a partner in Macrae's Washington, DC office, noted that the stability was particularly encouraging given the broader disruptions affecting the legal industry. "Even with the government shutdown's significant impact on the legal sector, law firms remained steady and did not need to cut lawyers or staff," she told Law360.
Looking forward, Nonaka expects the legal job market to strengthen in the first quarter of 2026, with sustained demand in areas such as national security, privacy, data security and cybersecurity. She also anticipates continued hiring in technology, data and artificial intelligence-related practices as AI regulation and governance frameworks rapidly develop.
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