ANALYSIS: More Law Students Into Public Interest but Firms Win

Public interest work gives lawyers a way to put their knowledge to use while helping marginalized populations. Law students for generations have felt the pull of this kind of work, but it’s unrealistic for most once they graduate and have up to six figures in student loan debt.

One in four law students aspire to practice in the public interest, according to data from Bloomberg Law’s most recent Law School Preparedness Survey. Interestingly, only one in 10 practicing attorneys (with an average of 26 years in practice) expected to practice in public interest upon graduating, showing that enthusiasm for ...