Big Law Firms Increase First-Year Associate Hiring by 14% in 2024.

The Am Law 50 firms have significantly increased their first-year associate hiring in 2024, with average class sizes growing by 14% and median class sizes increasing by 11%. Only four firms decreased their class sizes, while six firms increased them by over 20%. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison led the pack with a 48% increase, followed by Davis Polk & Wardwell at 43% and Jones Day at 33%.

East Coast firms generally hired more aggressively compared to their West Coast counterparts. Some notable West Coast firms, such as Goodwin Procter and Perkins Coie, actually reduced their first-year class sizes. This overall increase in hiring contrasts with a 2% decrease in offers given to summer 2023 2Ls, as reported by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP).

Despite the current uptick in hiring, NALP data suggests a potential decline in first-year associate hiring for the following year. Offers for 2L summer programs in 2024 have decreased by nearly 19%, indicating a possible softening of the legal job market in the near future.

Report by The American Lawyer