March 2025 Jobs Report - Things Pick Up in the Legal Sector, For Now

The bright spot in knowledge work is the legal sector, at least right now. In March 2025 it added 3,700 jobs. And compensation levels, which are deflating in myriad white-collar categories, remain high in the top 200 law firms. 

Of course, out there is a glut of lawyers, though. Some of those forced out in federal government might not be able to find a place to land. But glut has been the usual, with the exception of COVID. Getting that first job tends to be difficult for new JDs.

As everyone knows, the cloud hovering over the sector is generative AI. It has made rapid inroads in not only business but also on Main Street. Traditional search, that is on the Google platform, is dying. More ordinary folks are bypassing clicking in a query on Google and going directly to ChatGPT. "Googling it" is getting replaced with "ChatGPTing."

The Cleary law firm has acquired an AI enterprise. Paul Weiss is hiring more technologists and data scientists. Paul Weiss Chair Brad Karp sees the possibility of associate jobs being eliminated by Gen AI. The AI apps, indicates Karp, will be overseen by human lawyers. But the issue is: How many lawyers will that require?  

To get insight on how AI overtakes a whole category of work, lawyers might follow the death of content-creation (which was my former field, until three years ago).

Hands-on creatives are being replaced by AI. As in law, the process is overseen by humans. In communications they are the editors. At the front end are content strategists. There are a lot fewer of them than there had been creatives. Incidentally, are law firms studying what kind of human manpower, along with AI extenders, they need in the marketing continuum? 

On LinkedIn, former champion of creatives and early adopter of digital content Paul Chaney issued a kind of manifesto. Here are snippets: 

"Contently, a content marketing company ... just launched Content Studio AI, a platform built to help managing editors create and edit content faster -- it also costs their clients less ... If [this] company that has relied on a vast network of freelancers to write high-quality content for major brands, is switching to AI, that's groundbreaking and should not be overlooked."

Yes, Chaney rates the quality as high. Nothing to smirk about, not anymore. He also predicts, with the flight to ChatGPT, the death of SEO. Are law firms still in the Google era? 

Staying marketable. Complimentary consultation with Intuitive Coach Jane Genova (Text 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com).

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