Law school is becoming more like business school: you should work first.
Dear Pre‑L:
If you’re planning on going straight from college to law school, there’s a harsh new reality you need to know about:
You have a massive advantage if you know what you want to do with your JD before you set foot on any campus.
Law schools are starting to look more like business schools, where meaningful post‑college work experience and a clear story are the norm, not the exception.
At the same time, BigLaw itself is changing.
🔻 Firms are hiring fewer students straight out of law school and more lateral associates with several years of experience.
🔻 One recent Firm Prospects white paper found that in 2025, law student hires fell to 37.5% of associate hiring, down from 43.8% in 2021, while most new associates came in laterally.
—Why this matters for students in college—
Post‑college work is becoming the default.
🔹 At many top law schools, a large share of admits now come with 2+ years of experience; at some, it’s well over half the class.
Time in the real world clarifies your interests and helps you tell a more authentic story to admissions and employers.
🔹 Law firm recruiting is moving earlier.
Recent NALP data shows that for 2026 2L summer programs, about 80% of offers came through “employer‑sponsored recruiting” (direct applications, referrals, firm‑run events), not traditional, school‑sponsored OCI.
👉 Firms are actively looking for students who already know what kind of work they want to do; those students are seen as easier to mentor and faster to ramp up.
🔹 Your LinkedIn presence and early relationships now count long before law school. By the time you’re a 1L, firms will likely have already been looking at you on LinkedIn, at events, and through referrals.
BOTTOM LINE: In the past, students worried about “falling behind” if they took time to work before law school.
Now, those years are often the single best way to set yourself apart.
You should think ahead and plan what you want your law school application to say about you and be intentional about how you use your college years and gap time.
I will keep doing updates based on what I’m reading, and I’ll link the recent Above the Law article below.
💌 Amanda
#DearPreL