Career Development
Employment Statistics 2017
A Moritz law degree provides many opportunities and every year our graduates obtain positions in a broad array of job sectors, including traditional law firm practice, government and public interest, academia, and business. Our career service staff helps students achieve their goals during and after law school through individualized self assessment, identifying appropriate legal career options, providing training in job search skills and offering many sources of employment opportunities.
Graduate Employment Rate for the Class of 2017 as of March 15, 2018
Law schools report employment information to the National Association of Law Placement (“NALP”) and the American Bar Association (“ABA”) as of a set date in March each year. For the class of 2017, Moritz was able to report employment information for 100% of the class.
General Summary
Total number of graduates: 165
| Number | Percent of Total in Class | |
|---|---|---|
| Employed Full-Time |
150
|
90.9%
|
| Pursuing Graduate Degree |
3
|
1.8%
|
| Employed Part-Time |
7
|
4.2%
|
| Unemployed, Seeking Employment |
2
|
1.2%
|
| Unemployed, Not Seeking Employment |
3
|
1.8%
|
| TOTAL |
165
|
100%
|
Breakdown by Type of Employment
Students at Moritz have diverse career goals, and we work closely with our students to help them find rewarding employment consistent with their goals and interests. Some students seek traditional legal work within law firms, the government, or public interest entities. Others seek policy, management and administrative work, in which employers prefer, but do not always require, legal training or admittance to a Bar (J.D. Advantage). Here is the breakdown of the class of 2017 by job criteria:
| Employment Status | Number | Percent of Those Employed | Percent of Total Class | Full-Time | Part-Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long-Term
|
Short-Term
|
Long-Term
|
Short-Term
|
||||
| Bar Exam Passage Required |
135
|
86.0%
|
81.8%
|
130
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
| J.D. Advantage |
21
|
13.4%
|
12.7%
|
16
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
| Other Professional |
1
|
0.6%
|
0.6%
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Total Bar Required/J.D. Advantage/Other Professional |
157
|
100%
|
95.2%
|
147
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
School Funded Positions
Through the support of foundations and donors, Moritz is able to offer fully funded fellowships (including salary and benefits) in specific areas of public service practice. This year four graduates obtained fellowships through this process: the Reinberger Foundation Fellowship in Prosecution, the Finn Fellowship in International Law, the OCCH/Legal Aid Fellowship, and the OCCH/Legal Society of Columbus TAF Fellowship. These positions are full-time/long term (one year-long).
Moritz Career Start Grants provide short-term stipends to graduates still seeking full-time employment to enable them to gain work experience with organizations in fields that will further their career goals. One graduate was so employed at the time of this report. She is working for a judge.
Three graduates working in school funded positions were conducting research for faculty.
Class of 2017 by Sector
For the 45.9% of students who accepted positions at firms, the chart below demonstrates the size of the law firm:
Full-Time, Bar Passage Required Positions
| Sector | Number Reported | Percent Employed | Examples of Ohio Employers | Examples of Non-Ohio Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Firm (size) | ||||
|
2-10
|
20
|
12.7
|
Musillo Unkenholt, LLC; Muskovitz & Lemmerbrock LLC | Buttaci Leardi & Werner (NJ); Moore & Hawthorne LLC (GA) |
|
11-25
|
7
|
4.5
|
Dagger, Johnston, Miller, Ogilvie & Hampson LLP; Thomas & Company, L.P.A. | Keller Jolley Preece (UT) |
|
26-50
|
2
|
1.3
|
Coolidge Wall, Co., L.P.A.; Smith Rolfes & Skavdahl Co., LPA | |
|
51-100
|
6
|
3.8
|
Brouse McDowell; Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter | |
|
101-250
|
5
|
3.2
|
Benesch, Friedlander, Kopland & Aronoff LLP; Roetzel & Andress LPA | |
|
251-500
|
9
|
5.7
|
Ice Miller LLP; Thompson Hine, LLP | Snell & Wilmer (AZ) |
|
501+
|
21
|
13.4
|
BakerHostetler; Jones Day | Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (NY); Reed Smith LLP (IL) |
| Solo Practice |
1
|
0.6
|
Law Office of Patrick Kelly-Hauser (CT) | |
| Total | 71 | 45.2 | ||
| Business |
23
|
14.6
|
L Brands; The Sherwin Williams Company | Ernst & Young (IN); Discovery Ready (NC) |
| Government |
19
|
12.1
|
Columbus City Attorney; Ohio Attorney General | Marine Judge Advocates Corps (TX); West Virginia Attorney General Office (WV) |
| Judicial Clerkship |
4
|
2.5
|
U.S. Court of Appeals – Sixth Circuit; U.S. District Court – Northern District of Ohio | |
| Public Interest |
14
|
8.9
|
Legal Aid Society of Columbus; Southeastern Ohio Legal Services | Center for Asylum Protection (Thailand); State Public Defender of Wisconsin (WI) |
| Education |
2
|
1.3
|
Columbus State Community College; The Ohio State University, Office of Legal Affairs | |
Full-Time, J.D. Advantage
| Sector | Number Reported | Percent Employed | Examples of Ohio Employers | Examples of Non-Ohio Employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business |
10
|
6.4
|
Columbus Blue Jackets; Deloitte & Touche | Lionsgate (CA); Microsoft Corporation (CO) |
| Government |
1
|
0.6
|
Medina County Clerk of Courts | |
| Public Interest |
3
|
1.9
|
American Constitution Society (D.C.); Brand New Congress (GA) | |
| Education |
2
|
1.3
|
The Ohio State University Advancement Department |
Every year, the Moritz Career Development Office organizes panels of professionals who speak to students about experiences in traditional law careers as well as those in other sectors. Here are some examples of recent programs:
-
- Large Firm Practice – Lawyers from regional and international law firms discussed the recruiting process and how to be successful in practice.
- Alternative Careers – Cheryl Heisler, President and Founder of Lawternatives and alternative careers expert, talked to students about alternative careers in areas such as business, finance, human resources, higher education, public affairs and non-profits.
- Judicial Clerkships Panel – An information session was held on the value of post-graduate judicial clerkships featuring alumni and faculty who have clerked.
Employment by Geography
Graduates from the class of 2017 found employment throughout the United States and abroad. As a member of the National Law School Consortium (NLSC), an association of nine top public law schools from across the U.S., Moritz provides the opportunity for its students to meet employers to whom they may not otherwise be exposed by attending NLSC job fairs in various U.S. legal markets.
Salary Information
Salary data is self-reported by graduates, and 79% of the employed 2017 graduates reported their starting salaries which ranged from $50,939 in the 25th percentile to $113,750 in the 75th percentile, with a median salary of $65,000. Reported starting salaries vary widely within the private and public sectors.
| Sector | Number Reported | Number Reported w/ Salary | 25% | Median | 75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Firm |
72
|
61
|
$65,000
|
$115,000
|
$127,500
|
| Business |
34
|
24
|
$48,070
|
$65,000
|
$70,750
|
| Government |
18
|
13
|
$50,959
|
$55,000
|
$56,549
|
| Education |
7
|
4
|
n/a
|
$57,750
|
n/a
|
| Judicial Clerkship |
4
|
3
|
n/a
|
$62,643
|
n/a
|
| Public Interest |
17
|
14
|
$43,225
|
$47,500
|
$52,725
|
| Military JAG |
5
|
5
|
$64,500
|
$69,000
|
$78,000
|
| Law Firm Size | Number Reported | Number Reported w/Salary | 25% | Median | 75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2-10
|
21
|
13
|
$45,000
|
$50,000
|
$65,000
|
|
11-25
|
7
|
6
|
$50,000
|
$52,500
|
$86,250
|
|
26-50
|
2
|
1
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
51-100
|
6
|
6
|
$77,500
|
$86,000
|
$106,250
|
|
101-250
|
5
|
5
|
$62,500
|
$120,000
|
$120,000
|
|
251-500
|
9
|
9
|
$110,000
|
$115,000
|
$120,000
|
|
501+
|
21
|
21
|
$121,000
|
$160,000
|
$160,000
|
| Solo Practice |
1
|
0
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
For additional information on salary statistics nationally for beginning attorneys, visit http://www.nalp.org/recentgraduates.
Source of Job
Moritz graduates obtain legal jobs by a number of pathways, including on and off-campus interview programs through which law firms and public sector employers routinely hire our students, job postings on our web-based job site, and from working with career counselors to develop personalized job search strategies.
| Source of Job | Number Reported | Percent of Reported |
|---|---|---|
| Job Posting at Moritz |
50
|
33.6%
|
| Networking/Target Mail |
31
|
20.8%
|
| On-Campus Interview |
25
|
16.8%
|
| Referral |
18
|
12.1%
|
| Job Fair |
7
|
4.7%
|
| Non-Moritz Job Posting |
5
|
3.4%
|
| Pre-Law School Employer |
5
|
3.4%
|
| Used School’s Judicial Clerkship Process or OSCAR |
2
|
1.3%
|
| Started Own Business/Practice |
2
|
1.3%
|
| Other |
4
|
2.7%
|
In order to better prepare students for their job search, Moritz career counselors plan a variety of programs and networking events throughout the year. Here are some examples of recent programs:
- 1L Academy
- Oh, the Legal Places You Could Go! – A group of local practitioners representing various sectors of employers discussed features of their work.
- Step into the Profession NOW! – Local professionals and Moritz faculty and students spoke about ways to start transitioning to a professional now.
- What I Did My IL Summer – A panel of students discussed their diverse summer experiences and how they found these opportunities.
- Today’s Legal Market – A panel of professionals discussed opportunities outside of traditional law firms.
- Jump Start Week
- Career Advisor Meetings – Career advisors held group sessions with their students to discuss how to draft successful resumes and cover letters and strategies for the summer job search.
- Interview Demonstration – A local practioner and a 2L discussed how to prepare for an interview and performed a 30-minute interview on stage.
- Dress for Success – Fashion tips from business casual to formal attire were showcased in a fashion show.
- Etiquette Dinner – During a four-course dinner, Terri Thompson, renowned speaker, author and entrepreneur specializing in helping individuals succeed, reviewed table etiquette and provided tips on appropriate topics for conversation and on “working a crowd” at business receptions.
- Young Alumni Panel – A panel of recent alumni who successfully navigated the process of landing post-grad positions provided tips and strategies for a successful job search.
- IP Job Fair Information Session – An information session was held for current 1L and 2L students interested in interviewing for intellectual property positions through Loyola’s Patent Law Interview Program, a two-day interview program held in Chicago each summer that brings together patent law employers and law students from across the country to interview for summer associate positions and post-graduate employment.
- Why Clerk? – A panel of current federal and state judicial clerks discussed their varied experiences.
- Opportunity Forum: Table Talk Session – A networking event with public sector and nonprofit employers who were hiring for summer positions as well as part-time school year positions was held.
- Lunch with a Lawyer Program – Students were invited each month to private and public sector employers for lunch and an opportunity to hone their informational interviewing skills.
- Mock Interview Program – 1Ls were matched with local practicing attorneys for 30-minute mock interviews followed by constructive feedback and coaching.
Rounding may cause one-tenth discrepancy in the reported numbers.
Employers of 2017 Graduates
Click here to see employers of the classes of 2013-2016.
Additional Information on Our Employment Data
Class of 2017 NALP Report* *The report is partially redacted for privacy and may not reflect recent revisions submitted to NALP.