According to a new report from the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), the number of in-house counsel in the United States has been consistently growing at a far higher rate than the number of lawyers working in either private practice or government.
The report, which analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report, finds that the in-house counsel population rose by almost 90% between 2008 and 2024, from 78,000 to 145,000. By contrast, the law firm attorney population grew just 23% while the number of government attorneys increased 38% over the same period.
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The report also examines the geographical distribution of the in-house counsel population, noting substantial increases in established legal hubs like New York as well as dramatic growth in smaller markets, such as Wyoming and Vermont.
ACC Report Finds In-house Counsel Population Nearly Doubled Since 2008, Growing at a Rate Far Exceeding Law Firm and Government Sectors [Association of Corporate Counsel]