Class of 2008 Employment Statistics
We are proud of our employment record. KU Law students and
graduates are highly sought after by employers throughout the state,
region and nation. The school's more than 6,600 alumni live
in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 14
foreign countries. They use their law degrees in both traditional
and nontraditional ways. There were 164 students in the class of
2008. Of the 161 students who submitted employment information,
148 students (92%) reported employment as of February 2009, the
final measuring date as determined by the National Association of
Law Placement (NALP).
Of those graduates reporting employment, 115 provided
salary information. For jobs requiring bar passage, the average salary
was $69,674. The following charts and graphs
illustrate employment information for the class of 2008:
As of February 2009 - Reported to National Association for Law Placement (NALP)
| Total number of students in class |
164 |
| Employment status known |
161 (98%) |
| Employed/Graduate School |
148 (92%)* |
| Seeking Employment |
8 (5%)* |
* Percentage of those for whom employment status was known
Three-Year Comparison of Reported NALP Employment Rates
| Employment Status |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
| Employed/Graduate School |
92% |
97% |
96% |
| Seeking Employment |
5% |
3% |
1% |
| Not Seeking Employment |
3% |
0% |
3% |
Using the U.S. News methodology (which differs slightly from NALP's employment calculation), 93.6% of KU Law graduates of the class of 2008 were employed within nine months of graduation.
Members of the class of 2008 accepted employment in 21 states and 3 foreign countries and are employed by top quality public and private employers in cities such as Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Frankfurt, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Lincoln, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Moscow, New York, Oklahoma City, Omaha, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo, Tulsa and Washington, D.C. , as well as by a myriad of well-respected employers in Kansas and Missouri.
Summary of US News Statistics: KU Law, 2005-08 reporting years
| Graduation Year |
% Employed at Graduation |
% Employed Nine Months after Graduation |
US News Ranking |
| 2008 (not yet reported to US News) |
68.5 |
93.6 |
TBD (April 2010) |
| 2007 |
67.1 |
95.5 |
65 (April 2009) |
| 2006 |
65.9 |
94.7 |
73 (April 2008) |
| 2005 |
69.9 |
95.0 |
66 (April 2007) |
Class of 2008 - Employment Categories
| Practice Area |
Percentage
|
| Private Practice |
56.2% |
| Government |
17.5% |
| Business |
14.6% |
| Judicial Clerk |
7.3% |
| Public Interest |
3.6% |
| Academic |
0.7% |
Three-Year Comparison of Employment Categories (by percentage)
| Practice Area |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
| Private Practice |
56.2% |
53.4% |
51.3% |
| Business |
14.6% |
18.2% |
18.0% |
| Government |
17.5% |
11.5% |
15.0% |
| Judicial Clerk |
7.3% |
10.8% |
8.8% |
| Public Interest |
3.6% |
2.7% |
4.4% |
| Academic |
0.7% |
3.4% |
2.5% |
Class of 2008 - Private Practice Detail
| Size of Firm |
# Reported |
% Reported |
| Solo |
2 |
2.6% |
| 2-10 attorneys
| 30 |
39.0% |
| 11-25
| 12 |
15.6% |
| 26-50
| 5 |
6.5% |
| 51-100
| 5 |
6.5% |
| 101-250
| 5 |
6.5% |
| 251-500
| 7 |
9.1% |
| 501+
| 9 |
11.7% |
| Unknown
| 2 |
2.6% |
Class of 2008 Geographical Distribution of Employment
| STATE
| # EMPLOYED
| %
|
| Kansas
| 61 |
44.9% |
| Missouri
| 26 |
19.1% |
| Colorado
| 11 |
8.1% |
| California
| 5 |
3.7% |
| Texas
| 5 |
3.7% |
| Washington, D.C.
| 5 |
3.7% |
| New York
| 3 |
2.2% |
| Non-US location
| 3 |
2.2% |
| Minnesota
| 2 |
1.5% |
| Nebraska
| 2 |
1.5% |
| Oklahoma
| 2 |
1.5% |
| Arizona
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Connecticut
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Illinois
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Indiana
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Iowa
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Massachusetts
| 1 |
0.7% |
| North Carolina
| 1 |
0.7% |
| North Dakota
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Virginia
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Washington
| 1 |
0.7% |
| Wisconsin
| 1 |
0.7% |
Summary of Class of 2008 Geographical Distribution
| STATE
| # EMPLOYED
| %
|
| Kansas
| 61 |
44.9% |
| Missouri
| 26 |
19.1% |
| Other States/Countries
| 49 |
36.0% |
Three-Year Comparison of Geographical Distribution by Region
| Region
| 2008
| 2007
| 2006
|
| New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
| 1.5% |
0% |
0% |
| Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA)
| 2.2% |
0.7% |
1.3% |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
| 2.2% |
3.4% |
1.9% |
| West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)
| 68.4% |
74.3% |
71.3% |
| South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
| 5.1% |
4.7% |
4.4% |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
| 0% |
0% |
0.6% |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
| 2.0% |
6.9% |
4.2% |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
| 8.8% |
8.8% |
8.1% |
| Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
| 4.4% |
3.4% |
4.4% |
| Foreign
| 2.2% |
2.7% |
1.3% |
Class of 2008 Salaries
| Job Type
| # Reporting Salary
| Median
| Mean
|
| All Reported
| 115 |
$55,000 |
$67,651 |
| Bar Passage Required
| 101 |
$55,000 |
$69,674 |
Three-Year Comparison of Salaries
|
| # Reporting Salary
| Median
| Mean
|
| 2008
| |
|
|
| All Reported
| 115 |
$55,000 |
$67,651 |
| Bar Passage Required
| 101 |
$55,000 |
$69,674 |
| 2007
| |
|
|
| All Reported
| 121 |
$55,000 |
$62,813 |
| Bar Passage Required
| 100 |
$55,000 |
$64,869 |
| 2006
| |
|
|
| All Reported
| 99 |
$52,000 |
$61,321 |
| Bar Passage Required
| 83 |
$52,000 |
$63,329 |
Bar Exam
Kansas is the primary jurisdiction for the bar exam.
The school's pass rate for first-time takers of the July 2008 Kansas
bar was 91.3%, compared to the overall statewide pass rate of 86.0%.
In February 2009, the pass rate for KU first-time test takers was
75.8%, compared to the statewide first-time taker pass rate of 80.0%.
KU students who choose to take the Missouri bar also
perform well. The school's pass rate for first-time takers of the
July 2008 Missouri bar was 90.0%, and in February 2009, the pass rate for KU first-time
takers of the Missouri bar was 100.0%.
| February 2009
| First Time KU Takers
| All KU Takers
| Overall Pass Rate
|
| Kansas Bar Exam
| 75.8% |
63.8% |
80.0% |
| Missouri Bar exam
| 100.0% |
100.0% |
76.2% |
| July 2008
| First Time KU Takers
| All KU Takers
| Overall Pass Rate
|
| Kansas Bar Exam
| 91.3% |
83.3% |
86.0% |
| Missouri Bar exam
| 90.0% |
85.7% |
90.7% |
Where Our Graduates Go
While many of our students and graduates chose to work
in communities throughout Kansas or in the Kansas City metropolitan
area, our students and graduates go all over the country. A considerable
number of graduates accept judicial clerkships. Recent graduates
have been law clerks at all levels, including the Supreme Court
of the United States. Over the last five years, our students and
graduates have accepted summer and/or permanent employment with
firms, government agencies, public interest organizations and judges
all over the country. The following is a representative list.
Judicial Clerkships
- Justice Anthony Kennedy, U.S. Supreme Court
- Justice Clarence Thomas, U.S. Supreme Court
- Hon. Judith Barzilay, U.S. Court of International Trade
- Hon. Gregory Carmen, U.S. Court of International Trade
- Hon. Michael Luttig, 4th Circuit
- Hon. C. Arlen Beam, 8th Circuit
- Hon. Pasco Bowman, 8th Circuit
- Hon. John Gibson, 8th Circuit
- Hon. David Hansen, 8th Circuit
- Hon. Melvin Brunetti, 9th Circuit
- Hon. Mary Beck Briscoe, 10th Circuit
- Hon. Paul Kelly, 10th Circuit
- Hon. Deanell Reece Tacha, 10th Circuit
- Hon. Monti Belot, Federal District-KS
- Hon. John Lungstrum, Federal District-KS
- Hon. Carlos Murguia, Federal District-KS
- Hon. Gary Sebelius, Federal District—KS
- Hon. James O'Hara, Federal District-KS
- Hon. Julie Robinson, Federal District-KS
- Hon. Gary Sebelius, Federal District-KS
- Hon. Kathryn Vratil, Federal District-KS
- Hon. A. Jordan, Federal District-FL
- Hon. Dean Whipple, Federal District-MO
- Hon. Frederick Scallia, Federal District-NY
- Hon. Lawrence Stengel, Federal District-PN
- Kansas Court of Appeals
- Kansas Supreme Court
- Hawaii Court of Appeals
- Iowa Court of Appeals
- Missouri Court of Appeals
- Nevada Supreme Court
Government/Public Interest
- Air Force, Army and Navy JAG
- Atlantic Legal Foundation
- Colorado Attorney General
- Colorado Public Defender
- Department of Labor
- Environmental Protection Agency
- FBI
- Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Federal Trade Commission
- HUD
- Internal Revenue Service
- Johnson County (KS) District Attorney
- Justice Department
- Kansas Appellate Defender
- Kansas and Missouri Attorneys General
- Kansas Department of Agriculture
- Kansas Department of Health & Environment
- Kansas Legal Services
- Libel Defense Resource Center
- Library of Congress
- Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
- Marine Corps and Navy JAG
- Navajo Nations Department of Justice
- North Texas Legal Services
- Office of Special Counsel
- Public Citizen - NAPIL Fellow
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Sedgwick County (KS) District Attorney
- Shawnee County (KS) District Attorney
- Social Security Administration
- The Federal Reserve Bank
- U.S. Departments
- Energy
- Housing and Urban Development
- Justice
- Labor
- Transportation
- U.S. Patent Office
Law Firms
- Alston & Bird, Atlanta
- Arent Fox, Washington, DC
- Arnold & Porter, Washington, DC
- Baird Holm, Omaha
- Baker & Botts, Dallas
- Baker Hostetler, Houston
- Baker & McKenzie, Dallas
- Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, Denver
- Bryan Cave, LLP, KCMO
- Christensen O'Conner, Seattle
- Cravath Swaine & Moore, New York
- Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York
- Doerner Saunders, Tulsa
- Faegre & Benson, Minneapolis
- Fish & Richardson, San Diego
- Fleeson Gooing Coulson & Kitch, Wichita
- Foulston Siefkin LLP, Wichita
- Gallagher & Kennedy, Phoenix
- Gardere Wynne, Dallas
- Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Washington, D.C.
- Gilliland & Hayes, Lawrence
- Gilmore & Bell, Wichita
- Goodwin Proctor, New York
- Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, San Diego
- Greenberg Traurig, Dallas and Orlando
- Hale Lane, Las Vegas
- Hall Estill, Tulsa
- Hendricks & Lewis, Seattle
- Hinkle Elkouri, Wichita
- Hite, Fanning & Honeyman, Wichita
- Hogan & Hartson, Baltimore
- Holland & Knight, Chicago
- Hovey Williams, KCMO
- Hughes & Luce, Dallas
- Husch Blackwell Sanders, Kansas City
- Jenkens & Gilchrist, Dallas
- Kemp Smith, El Paso
- Latham & Watkins, Los Angeles
- Lathrop & Gage, KCMO
- Lewis Rice & Fingersh, KCMO
- Kutak Rock, Denver & Omaha
- Latham & Watkins, Chicago & Los Angeles
- Miller Nash, Portland
- Morris Laing, Wichita
- Nixon Peabody, Rochester
- O’Melveny & Myers, San Francisco
- Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Snoak & Stewart, Raleigh
- Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, New York
- Payne & Jones, Overland Park
- Patton Boggs, Dallas & Washington, DC
- Polsinelli Shalton Flaningan Suelthaus, Kansas City
- Rothgerber Johnson Lyons, Colorado Springs
- Seigfreid, Bingham, Levy, Selzer & Gee, KCMO
- Shook Hardy & Bacon, KCMO
- Shughart Thompson & Kilroy, KCMO
- Sidley Austin Brown & Wood, Chicago & DC
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, New York
- Snell & Wilmer, Phoenix
- Sonnenschein, KCMO
- Spencer Fane Britt & Browne, KCMO
- Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, Cleveland
- Stinson Morrison Hecker, KCMO & Wichita
- Sullivan & Cromwell, New York
- Thompson & Knight, Dallas
- Troutman Sanders, Atlanta
- Vinson & Elkins, Dallas
- Wallace Saunders Austin Brown Enochs, Overland Park and Wichita
- Wallenstein & Wagner, Chicago
- Wilmer Cutler & Pickering,Washington,DC
Corporate
- Andersen Consulting, KCMO
- Black & Veatch, Overland Park
- Cerner Corporation, KCMO
- Deloitte & Touche, Minneapolis
- General Motors, Inc., Detroit
- Koch Industries, Inc., Wichita
- PricewaterhouseCoopers, Chicago
- Security Benefit, Topeka
- Shepard's Legal Pub., Colorado Springs
- Sprint, KCMO
- The Williams Companies, Inc., Tulsa
- UMB Bank, KCMO
