Texas shows increase in lawyer jobs

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A new study finds Texas will see the No. 11 biggest increase in lawyer jobs in 2021, growing by 3.5 percent this year.

Due to COVID-19 economic crisis, the American Bar Association reported law firm billings dipped in 2020, cratering at a 23 percent decrease in May 2020, resulting in layoffs and hiring freezes.

However, a recent McKinsey report found law firms endure economic downturns better than the overall economy and experts believe the industry will bounce back this year. As veteran lawyers and law students head into 2021, It has never been more critical students to know where the most job openings will be.

Testing.org today released a study on the Best and Worst States for Lawyers in 2021 using the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The rankings were determined by which states will see the biggest percentage increase in jobs from the end of 2019 to 2021. The study also looks at average starting salaries and LSAT scores needed to get into the top law school in each state.

Here were key findings in Texas:

-No. 11 projecting a 3.5% increase, adding 2,170 jobs, for a total of 63,610 jobs for lawyers in 2021.

-Average starting salary for lawyers at $123,350. This is above the national average of $122,960.

-An LSAT score of 167 is the average needed to get into the University of Texas-Austin.

Here were key national findings:

Alabama ranked No. 1., Wyoming ranked No. 2, and Arizona is No. 3.for biggest percentage increases in jobs.

-Southern states make up three of the top five states in the rankings, with North Carolina and South Carolina claiming spots four and five, respectively.

-Only four states are poised to lose jobs for lawyers. Idaho ranks last at -4.5%, along with North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin all expecting losses.

-Massachusetts, famous for top law schools such as Harvard University, ranks No. 6; while Washington, D.C., with top schools Georgetown University and George Washington University, ranks No. 15.