April marked the start of Q2 2025 with a notable uptick in law firm hiring activity compared to the same period last year, suggesting that, just like the season, the legal job market may be poised to bloom.

In an apples-to-apples comparison across a closed subset of firms, April 2025 saw 39 new job openings and 54 jobs closed, bringing the total number of open legal roles to 233. This is a 24% increase in new job postings and a 64% increase in job closures compared to April 2024, when firms opened 29 new roles and closed 33. At that time, the total number of open positions stood at 152.

Zooming in on U.S.-based jobs, the April 2025 data mirror this upward momentum. U.S. firms opened 38 new roles and closed 53, totaling 229 open positions—up from 150 open roles in April 2024, which saw the same 29 job openings but only 32 closures.

This marked rise in both openings and closures may reflect a dynamic market in transition—firms are not just adding roles but are also actively managing headcount through lateral moves and strategic adjustments. The net increase in open positions year-over-year suggests expanding opportunities for attorneys, especially as demand in certain practice areas picks up pace.

While the broader U.S. labor market in April showed modest growth—adding 177,000 jobs with steady unemployment and slow wage gains—the legal sector experienced a more pronounced uptick in activity. Compared to last year, law firms significantly increased both job openings and closures, indicating not only expanding opportunities but also a more dynamic reshuffling of legal talent, outpacing the relatively stable pace of change in the overall job market.

As the old saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers,” and if April’s hiring activity is any indicator, we may be in for a flourishing spring in legal recruitment. Leopard Solutions will continue monitoring this momentum into May to determine whether the early signs of growth take root or if volatility returns.

For deeper insights, custom firm-to-firm comparisons, or lateral hiring trends, contact Leopard Solutions at sales@leopardsolutions.com.

Methodology Note

Leopard Solutions is continuously expanding, adding new firms to our Leopard List and Jobs platforms. To ensure accuracy in year-over-year comparisons, this report is based on a consistent cohort of 1,100+ B2B, U.S.-centric firms tracked since the beginning of the reporting period. This method ensures that the trends reflect true market shifts, not database growth.

For more insights on legal job trends and hiring activity, visit Leopard Jobs.