Law School Ranks #3 in the Nation for Grads Employed in Public Interest and Government Positions
Over ⅓ of the 2022 graduates are employed in public-sector jobs, making Lewis & Clark third in the nation for graduates in public interest work post-graduation.
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Lewis & Clark Law School is third in the nation for graduates employed in public interest and government jobs, with nearly 35% of 2022 graduates working to serve the public, according to required ABA law school reports on employment outcomes. Statistics are calculated yearly from the submissions of data to the ABA.
Behind only CUNY School of Law and University of New Mexico School of Law, Lewis & Clark has greatly surpassed the national average of 8% of graduates employed in public interest work and 10% employed in government jobs.
“Achieving such a high ranking for public service and public interest jobs is a big accomplishment for Lewis & Clark because it closely reflects the ethos of our students and indicates that our graduates are able to achieve their specific career goals,” said Assistant Dean of Career and Professional Development Devra Sigle-Hermosilla. “Many of our students attend law school and specifically come to Lewis & Clark because they are interested in helping people by serving as a public interest attorney through government and nonprofit organizations.” She attributes their success to the law school’s career success curriculum, key programs like clinics and practicums, and focus on job recruitment efforts.
Lewis & Clark has a long history of students going into the public sector. A number of programs such as Pro Bono Honors Award, the Community Service Honors Award, the Public Interest Law Certificate, the summer stipend funding for public interest work through Public Interest Law Project (PILP) and the Lezak Social Justice Fellowship, all work to educate students about public interest careers, provide networking opportunities, and financially support students in their public interest legal work.
Lewis & Clark Law School has high employment rates in general. Over 92% of 2022 grads were employed within ten months of graduation with 98% of those employed in positions which required bar passage or preferred a Juris Doctor. This also beats the national average of 84.6% for overall employment, according to ABA submissions data. “I am proud of how focused and accomplished students are to go after their career goals,” said Assistant Dean Sigle-Hermosilla. “And through their diligence and programs, Lewis & Clark graduates are ready to hit the ground running.”
