US legal sector adds 5,100 jobs in June, hits record high

The US legal sector added 5,100 jobs in June, marking the third consecutive month of record-high employment, according to data released by the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Total legal sector employment reached 1,243,500 in June, up 0.41% from May. The preliminary figures show an 8.4% increase from five years ago, indicating that legal AI tools have not yet reduced staffing levels. Justine Donahue, a partner at legal recruiting firm Macrae, noted that AI-related legal job cuts have not materialized, as law firms are working to take advantage of AI-related work and need staff for those matters. The legal sector growth occurred as overall US job growth slowed more than expected in June, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 57,000 jobs. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.2% last month as approximately 720,000 people left the labor force. The legal employment market has posted job gains in 11 of the past 12 months, with legal jobs increasing 1.9% over the past 12 months. Major IPOs and steady deal flow have kept corporate law firms busy, with litigation as high as it has been, particularly complex civil litigation.

(Source：Investing South Africa)