Firm Prospects tracked 8,336 law firm hires from the law school graduating class of 2023. Of those hires, 4,233 joined law firms that are ranked in the AmLaw 100. In this article, we’ll take a look at which schools sent the most graduates to AmLaw 100 firms, both on an aggregate and percentage basis. It’s important to note here that some schools send a large percentage of their graduating classes directly to judicial clerkships, and many of those attorneys will end up at AmLaw 100 firms, but they aren’t included below. For example, Stanford, Yale and Chicago each sent over 20% of their graduating classes to judicial clerkship positions in 2023.
Top 50 Law Schools: Aggregate Hires by School
The table below lists the 50 law schools from which AmLaw 100 law firms hired the most entry-level attorneys from the class of 2023. Not surprisingly, top-ranked law schools with large classes top the list, with Georgetown, Harvard, Columbia, Northwestern and UVA rounding out the top 5. Those schools have class sizes1 of approximately 600, 582, 431, 256, and 307, respectively, and 4 out of 5 are part of the T-142, with Georgetown being ranked just outside of that group at #15.
Table 1.
Top 50 Law Schools: Percentage of Graduating Class
As illustrated in Table 2., below, which ranks schools based on the percentage of their graduating class that joined AmLaw 100 law firms, three of the top five schools were also in the top five based on aggregate numbers (UVA, Columbia and Northwestern). Here, though, with over 56% of the 2023 graduating class joining AmLaw 100 law firms, Northwestern’s 2023 class had by far the largest percentage of students go straight to “BigLaw.” The next closest schools were UVA (44%), Columbia (43%), University of Chicago (42%) and Vanderbilt (40%).
Table 2.
If a future attorney is evaluating law schools and his or her goal is to put themselves in the best possible position to land a job with a BigLaw firm, the above tables can provide guidance as to which schools might be the best options. It’s also worth evaluating the tuition at the schools on these lists. For example, University of Texas is $36,000 per year for in-state residents and still sends nearly 25% of its graduating class to AmLaw 100 law firms. The tuition at many of the other schools listed in the above tables is nearly double the cost of U of T.
Understanding which law schools send the most graduates to AmLaw 100 firms can be a valuable tool for aspiring attorneys when evaluating their education and career choices. The tables above highlight not only the schools that produce the most BigLaw hires but also the percentage of graduates entering those firms, offering insights for those aiming for a career in top law firms.
To stay ahead of hiring trends and access more in-depth data for informed decision-making, schedule a demo with Firm Prospects today! Our platform can help you navigate law firm research, career transitions, and networking opportunities with confidence.
