By Karen Sloan

June 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. legal sector posted another historic employment high in May amid a strong month overall for jobs, according to new figures released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The total number of jobs in the legal sector, including lawyers, paralegals, judges and legal assistants, reached 1,237,200 in May, an increase of 1,200 over April, the preliminary figures show. That’s up 7.6% from five years ago and suggests that the rapid adoption of legal AI tools has not yet impacted staffing, even as experts predict it may in the near future.

Nationwide, nonfarm payrolls increased by 172,000 jobs last month after rising by an upwardly revised 179,000 in April, according to the latest figures.

The number of jobs in the legal sector has been on a steady upward climb over the past year, with March the only month that posted a decline.

Law firms enjoyed a profitable 2025 and 2026 got off to a strong start as well, according to industry economic reports tracking factors such as demand and billing rates. The largest U.S. law firms have begun boosting associate pay amid those favorable economic conditions — the first major salary increase since 2023.

Milbank on Tuesday said associates under its new pay scale will receive annual base salaries between $235,000 and $455,000, depending on seniority. That represents raises ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. McDermott Will & Schulte; Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan; Hueston Hennigan; and Katten Muchin Rosenman each said this week they will match Milbank’s new pay scale.

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