Hybrid arrangements have become the norm for Class of 2022 graduates
Thirty percent of US law school graduates in the class of 2022 rarely use artificial intelligence even if tools are available to them, according to the recent “Law School Alumni Employment and Satisfaction” study findings published jointly by the NALP Foundation and the NALP.
This is the first of the organizations’ 13 joint studies to include questions about graduates’ AI use, as well as how law school prepared them to utilize the technology. The study also examined how graduates used AI in their current positions.
Forty-eight percent of graduates “frequently” or “occasionally” utilized AI in some form at work, whether for day-to-day tasks or certain activities and projects; however, 22 percent indicated that they never used AI in their existing positions.
“The study’s data illuminates an evolving career path for recent graduates, characterized by high mobility, adoption of AI, and hybrid work environments, but also affected professionally and personally by the significant debt they’ve incurred to attend law school,” said Fiona Trevelyan, NALP Foundation’s president and CEO, in a statement.
Sixty-three percent of graduates indicated that they have entered into at least two roles. Eleven percent said they were actively looking for new positions.
“Early-career lawyers are changing jobs at unprecedented rates, making the ability to practice in different jurisdictions an increasingly important component of long-term career success,” said Nikia Gray, NALP’s executive director. “As the legal profession continues to examine accreditation and licensure, these findings underscore the importance of maintaining a national accreditation system that supports reciprocity and enables lawyers to pursue opportunities wherever their careers take them.”
Fifty-eight percent of graduates either worked completely remotely or under hybrid arrangements, but the percentage that has returned to full-time onsite work increased from 35 percent (Class of 2021) to 42 percent. Overall, graduates from the 2022 class were satisfied with their jobs overall regardless of work location.
Average debt load for graduates dropped for the third straight year, coming to $81,876 three years after graduation. While the annual compensation of 82 percent of graduates at large firms exceeds $200,000, just 59 percent of graduates at mid-size firms (251-500 lawyers) and 12 percent of graduates at small firms reached this level.
The “Law School Alumni Employment and Satisfaction” survey obtained responses from 1,302 US law graduates from the Class of 2022 between November 2025 and January 2026.
