The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) recently shared detailed data on the growth and distribution of in-house legal professionals in the U.S., which showed that there were more in-house lawyers last year compared with the previous year.
The number of lawyers in the U.S. in-house sector increased to 140,800 in 2023, up from 126,270 in 2022 and 119,440 in 2021, according to the ACC’s article, which drew from data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from the years 2008–23. Back in 2008, the data showed only 77,780 U.S. in-house lawyers, the article noted.
More generally, the total number of U.S. lawyers reached 731,340 in 2023, up from 706,080 in 2022 and 681,010 in 2021, the article shared. In 2008, the bureau reported only 553,690 U.S. lawyers, according to the ACC’s article titled “U.S. In-house Counsel Population Tracker.”
The article also observed growth in the area of U.S. lawyers working in firms, with 445,110 such lawyers reported in 2023, up from 434,360 in 2022 and 417,300 in 2021.
On the other hand, the number of lawyers working in the U.S. government remained relatively stable at 145,430 in 2023, compared with 145,450 in 2022 and 144,270 in 2021, the article said.
State-by-state data
The article also shared a state-by-state breakdown of U.S. in-house counsel numbers in 2023. New York and California led the way, with New York having 21,690 in-house lawyers and California 16,960, according to the ACC’s article.
Other states with substantial in-house populations included Texas at 8,650, Florida at 7,610, and Illinois at 6,370, the article said. Meanwhile, Alaska, Vermont, North Dakota, and Wyoming had some of the fewest in-house counsel, approximated at 120, 110, 90 and 80, respectively, the article added.
The ACC’s tracker also provided information on the evolution of the U.S. in-house counsel population from 2017–23 across various states, including the following:
- New York: Despite the state’s zero percent rise in numbers last year, its in-house population grew from 15,650 in 2017 to 21,690 in 2023, which meant a 39-percent increase over seven years.
- California: The numbers rose by 32 percent, from 12,850 in 2017 to 16,960 in 2023.
- Texas: The state saw a 13-percent increase over seven years, with an in-house population growth from 7,660 in 2017 to 8,650 in 2023.
- Florida: Despite a nine-percent decrease in the last year, numbers in Florida rose by 57 percent over seven years, from 4,840 in 2017 to 7,610 in 2023.
- Illinois: With 6,510 in-house counsel in 2017 and 6,370 in 2023, the state saw a slight decrease in numbers over seven years. However, it did experience a 13-percent increase in the last year.