California Lawyers are in High Demand
The legal market in California took an interesting turn in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Early projections suggested that professionals would suffer as Californians feared a catastrophic loss of income sparked by the worldwide pandemic. Non-essential industries were readily assumed to come to a screeching halt as families and corporations honed in on on how to budget for uncertain times. Yet law firms across the country and the legal industry in general reported record-breaking profits over the last 12 months. The legal market in California is exploding due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related litigation. The Wall Street Journal, in an article dated from June 2021, reported salaries for entry level attorneys fresh from passing the bar exam are rising well over $200,000.00 a year. Similarly, Thomson Reuters reported this month that the demand for law firm services in the second quarter was higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The suggestion therefore for law school graduates and those seeking admission to the State Bar of California is simply to strike while the iron is hot.
The legal market has seen its share of ups and downs, and law school graduates often ponder whether their high-priced legal degrees were worth the investment. The short answer, at least for now, is that it was. New industries specific to California are seeking legal counsel. Just last month the California legislature approved a $100-million-dollar plan to assist efforts in the legalization of the cannabis industry.
Procuring a license in the cannabis industry is a complicated endeavor. Growers, manufacturers and retailers alike have to maintain strict guidelines in order to participate in this emerging market. Lawyers in California are in high demand to assist with transitions from provisional licenses to permanent ones. Transactional and general business attorneys are required to draft business plans, partnership agreements, and advise on proper corporate structure. Cannabis professionals need tax attorneys to handle the specific tax implications of the industry and environmental attorneys to understand environmental guidelines. The list continues, and this is only one particular industry.
The pandemic has opened up a floodgate of litigation. The hospitality industry by way of example suffered tremendous business interruption and is scrambling to recover. Restaurant owners who purchased business insurance are fighting with their insurance companies to cover loss of income due to the pandemic. The impact on the restaurant industry alone has a cascading effect and impacts the nation’s economy. The Restaurant Association shows that restaurants lost $120 billion dollars in sales during just the first three months of the pandemic. Plaintiff attorneys of all kinds are a necessity in that path to recovery.
The simple message is that seeking a license to practice law in California is a smart move. The California Bar Examination is offered twice a year to recent law graduates and out of state attorneys. Preparation is key to ensuring a passing result the first time. For more information on licensing requirements and the California Bar Examination please submit an inquiry to execbar.com.