Button to Return to the Main Demographics Page

Business Law Section Demographic Report, 2025

Tables of contents

Business Law, Active Members by Michigan Residency, 2025

Residency Count Percent
Michigan Resident 3,043 92.7%
Non-MI Resident 241 7.3%
Total 3,284 100.0%

Business Law, Active Members by US Residency, 2025

Residency Count Percent
US Resident 3,272 99.6%
Non-US Resident 12 0.4%
Total 3,284 100.0%

Business Law, Active Michigan Residents by Gender, 2025

Gender excludes No Answer and Prefer Not to Answer. The 'other' category was added in 2022 and was not reported for previous years.

Gender Count Percent
Male 2,183 74.4%
Female 751 25.6%
Other 2 0.1%
Total 2,936 100.0%

Business Law, Active Michigan Residents by Generation, 2025

Generation Count Percent
Traditionalists (pre-1944) 49 1.6%
Boomers (1944—1960) 727 23.9%
Gen X (1961—1980) 1,185 38.9%
Millennials (1981—1996) 950 31.2%
Gen Z (1997 and later) 132 4.3%
Total 3,043 100.0%

Business Law, Active Michigan Residents by Race or Ethnicity, 2025

Race or ethnicity excludes No Answer and Prefer Not to Answer.

Race or Ethnicity Count Percent
American Indian 6 0.3%
Asian-Pacific Islander 46 2.3%
African Origin 117 5.9%
European 1,423 71.2%
Hispanic/Latino 37 1.9%
Multi-Racial 34 1.7%
Arab Origin 92 4.6%
Other Ethnic Origin 243 12.2%
Total 1,998 100.0%

Business Law, Active Michigan Residents by Law School, 2025

Law School Count Percent
Ave Maria School of Law 9 0.3%
Michigan State University/DCL College of Law 448 14.7%
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law 438 14.4%
University of Michigan Law School 335 11.0%
Wayne State University Law School 695 22.8%
Western Michigan University Thomas Cooley Law School 303 10.0%
Other Law School 815 26.8%
Total 3,043 100.0%

Business Law, Active Michigan Residents by Occupational Area, 2025

Practice Category Count Percent
Academia 18 0.6%
Corporate Counsel 531 17.4%
Government 36 1.2%
Government Relations 6 0.2%
Judiciary 35 1.2%
Law School 4 0.1%
Legal Services 188 6.2%
Military 0 0.0%
Non-Law Related 37 1.2%
Nonprofit Organization 16 0.5%
Not Employed: Not Seeking Employment 4 0.1%
Not Employed: Seeking Employment 9 0.3%
Other 55 1.8%
Private Practice 1,928 63.4%
Retired 33 1.1%
Not Reported 143 4.7%
Total 3,043 100.0%

Business Law, Active Michigan Residents in Private Practice Firm Size, 2025

Firm Size N Percent
Very Large 100+ 645 33.5%
Large 21—99 291 15.1%
Medium 11—20 150 7.8%
Small 2—10 473 24.5%
Solo Full-Time 271 14.1%
Solo Part-Time 81 4.2%
Not Reported 17 0.9%
Total 1,928 100.0%

Business Law, Active Michigan Residents by County, 2025

County Count Percent
Alcona 0 0.0%
Alger 0 0.0%
Allegan 6 0.2%
Alpena 1 0.0%
Antrim 2 0.1%
Arenac 0 0.0%
Baraga 0 0.0%
Barry 6 0.2%
Bay 5 0.2%
Benzie 4 0.1%
Berrien 14 0.5%
Branch 2 0.1%
Calhoun 8 0.3%
Cass 5 0.2%
Charlevoix 3 0.1%
Cheboygan 1 0.0%
Chippewa 1 0.0%
Clare 1 0.0%
Clinton 2 0.1%
Crawford 1 0.0%
Delta 2 0.1%
Dickinson 0 0.0%
Eaton 8 0.3%
Emmet 13 0.4%
Genesee 33 1.1%
Gladwin 1 0.0%
Gogebic 0 0.0%
Grand Traverse 44 1.4%
Gratiot 2 0.1%
Hillsdale 1 0.0%
Houghton 4 0.1%
Huron 2 0.1%
Ingham 132 4.3%
Ionia 0 0.0%
Iosco 3 0.1%
Iron 1 0.0%
Isabella 1 0.0%
Jackson 22 0.7%
Kalamazoo 64 2.1%
Kalkaska 0 0.0%
Kent 346 11.4%
Keweenaw 0 0.0%
Lake 0 0.0%
Lapeer 7 0.2%
Leelanau 3 0.1%
Lenawee 4 0.1%
Livingston 31 1.0%
Luce 0 0.0%
Mackinac 0 0.0%
Macomb 96 3.1%
Manistee 2 0.1%
Marquette 6 0.2%
Mason 0 0.0%
Mecosta 5 0.2%
Menominee 3 0.1%
Midland 27 0.9%
Missaukee 1 0.0%
Monroe 12 0.4%
Montcalm 1 0.0%
Montmorency 0 0.0%
Muskegon 24 0.8%
Newaygo 1 0.0%
Oakland 1,215 39.9%
Oceana 1 0.0%
Ogemaw 0 0.0%
Ontonagon 0 0.0%
Osceola 0 0.0%
Oscoda 0 0.0%
Otsego 0 0.0%
Ottawa 49 1.6%
Presque Isle 0 0.0%
Roscommon 1 0.0%
Saginaw 27 0.9%
Saint Clair 5 0.2%
Saint Joseph 4 0.1%
Sanilac 1 0.0%
Schoolcraft 0 0.0%
Shiawassee 2 0.1%
Tuscola 1 0.0%
Van Buren 2 0.1%
Washtenaw 148 4.9%
Wayne 575 18.9%
Wexford 3 0.1%
Total 3,043 100.0%

Business Law, Active Members Residing in Other States or Jurisdictions, 2025

State or Jurisdiction N Percent
Alabama 1 0.4%
Arizona 2 0.8%
Bavaria 1 0.4%
California 16 6.6%
Colorado 7 2.9%
Connecticut 5 2.1%
District of Columbia 4 1.7%
Florida 26 10.8%
Georgia 3 1.2%
Germany 1 0.4%
Idaho 1 0.4%
Illinois 34 14.1%
Indiana 28 11.6%
Kentucky 1 0.4%
Maine 1 0.4%
Maryland 5 2.1%
Massachusetts 3 1.2%
Minnesota 3 1.2%
Missouri 2 0.8%
Montana 1 0.4%
Nevada 3 1.2%
New Hampshire 1 0.4%
New Jersey 2 0.8%
New Mexico 1 0.4%
New York 8 3.3%
North Carolina 4 1.7%
Ohio 36 14.9%
Ontario 1 0.4%
Ontario Canada 7 2.9%
Oregon 1 0.4%
Pennsylvania 7 2.9%
Rhode Island 1 0.4%
South Carolina 1 0.4%
Tennessee 2 0.8%
Texas 7 2.9%
Vermont 1 0.4%
Virginia 3 1.2%
Washington 1 0.4%
Wisconsin 7 2.9%
Not Reported 2 0.8%
Total 241 100.0%

Business Law, All Active Members by Section Membership, 2025

Section Number Percent
Administrative & Regulatory Law 159 4.8%
Agricultural Law 79 2.4%
Alternative Dispute Resolution 164 5.0%
American Indian Law 35 1.1%
Animal Law 33 1.0%
Antitrust, Franchising & Trade Regulation 116 3.5%
Appellate Practice 121 3.7%
Arts, Comm., Entertainment & Sports 119 3.6%
Aviation Law 54 1.6%
Business Law 3,284 100.0%
Cannabis Law 187 5.7%
Children’s Law 19 0.6%
Consumer Law 124 3.8%
Criminal Law 116 3.5%
Elder Law & Disability Rights 146 4.4%
Environmental Law 103 3.1%
Family Law 118 3.6%
Government Law 146 4.4%
Health Care Law 185 5.6%
Immigration Law 39 1.2%
Information Technology Law 232 7.1%
Insurance and Indemnity Law 170 5.2%
Intellectual Property Law 208 6.3%
International Law 166 5.1%
Labor & Employment Law 377 11.5%
Law Practice Management & Legal Admin 87 2.6%
LGBTQ+ Law 16 0.5%
Litigation 574 17.5%
Military and Veterans’ Law 33 1.0%
Negligence Law 107 3.3%
Paralegal/Legal Assistant 5 0.2%
Prisons & Corrections 14 0.4%
Probate & Estate Planning 658 20.0%
Real Property Law 1,104 33.6%
Religious Liberty Law 46 1.4%
Senior Lawyers 44 1.3%
Social Security Lawyers 14 0.4%
Solo & Small Firm 196 6.0%
Taxation 390 11.9%
Workers’ Compensation Law 16 0.5%
Young Lawyers 776 23.6%
Member Area SBM Connect
About SBM
What We Do
Members Only
Stay Connected
© Copyright 2026 SBM. All rights reserved.