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Young Lawyers Section Demographic Report, 2026

Tables of contents

Young Lawyers, Active Members by Michigan Residency, 2026

Residency Count Percent
Michigan Resident 7,326 80.1%
Non-MI Resident 1,816 19.9%
Total 9,142 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Members by US Residency, 2026

Residency Count Percent
US Resident 9,086 99.4%
Non-US Resident 56 0.6%
Total 9,142 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Michigan Residents by Gender, 2026

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 3,523 49.4%
Female 3,588 50.4%
Other 15 0.2%
Total 7,126 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Michigan Residents by Generation, 2026

Generation Count Percent
Traditionalists (pre-1944) 2 0.0%
Boomers (1944—1960) 87 1.2%
Gen X (1961—1980) 828 11.3%
Millennials (1981—1996) 5,329 72.7%
Gen Z (1997 and later) 1,080 14.7%
Total 7,326 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Michigan Residents by Race or Ethnicity, 2026

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

Race or Ethnicity Count Percent
American Indian 34 0.6%
Asian-Pacific Islander 211 3.9%
African Origin 410 7.5%
European 3,579 65.7%
Hispanic/Latino 170 3.1%
Multi-Racial 197 3.6%
Arab Origin 488 9.0%
Other Ethnic Origin 361 6.6%
Total 5,450 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Michigan Residents by Law School, 2026

Law School Count Percent
Ave Maria School of Law 3 0.0%
Michigan State University/DCL College of Law 1,280 17.5%
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law 868 11.8%
University of Michigan Law School 443 6.0%
Wayne State University Law School 1,157 15.8%
Western Michigan University Thomas Cooley Law School 1,182 16.1%
Other Law School 2,393 32.7%
Total 7,326 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Michigan Residents by Occupational Area, 2026

Practice Category Count Percent
Academia 46 0.6%
Corporate Counsel 724 9.9%
Government 944 12.9%
Government Relations 12 0.2%
Judiciary 114 1.6%
Law School 18 0.2%
Legal Services 693 9.5%
Military 24 0.3%
Non-Law Related 103 1.4%
Nonprofit Organization 183 2.5%
Not Employed: Not Seeking Employment 41 0.6%
Not Employed: Seeking Employment 49 0.7%
Other 170 2.3%
Private Practice 2,900 39.6%
Retired 13 0.2%
Not Reported 1,292 17.6%
Total 7,326 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Michigan Residents in Private Practice Firm Size, 2026

Firm Size N Percent
Very Large 100+ 802 27.7%
Large 21—99 508 17.5%
Medium 11—20 282 9.7%
Small 2—10 833 28.7%
Solo Full-Time 321 11.1%
Solo Part-Time 128 4.4%
Not Reported 26 0.9%
Total 2,900 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Michigan Residents by County, 2026

County Count Percent
Alcona 1 0.0%
Alger 4 0.0%
Allegan 24 0.3%
Alpena 9 0.1%
Antrim 3 0.0%
Arenac 0 0.0%
Baraga 3 0.0%
Barry 13 0.2%
Bay 26 0.3%
Benzie 6 0.1%
Berrien 69 0.9%
Branch 8 0.1%
Calhoun 36 0.5%
Cass 9 0.1%
Charlevoix 13 0.2%
Cheboygan 7 0.1%
Chippewa 13 0.2%
Clare 9 0.1%
Clinton 17 0.2%
Crawford 5 0.1%
Delta 12 0.2%
Dickinson 6 0.1%
Eaton 25 0.3%
Emmet 21 0.3%
Genesee 102 1.4%
Gladwin 1 0.0%
Gogebic 5 0.1%
Grand Traverse 87 1.2%
Gratiot 3 0.0%
Hillsdale 9 0.1%
Houghton 7 0.1%
Huron 5 0.1%
Ingham 539 7.4%
Ionia 10 0.1%
Iosco 9 0.1%
Iron 3 0.0%
Isabella 20 0.3%
Jackson 36 0.5%
Kalamazoo 155 2.1%
Kalkaska 0 0.0%
Kent 715 9.8%
Keweenaw 0 0.0%
Lake 2 0.0%
Lapeer 16 0.2%
Leelanau 9 0.1%
Lenawee 22 0.3%
Livingston 77 1.0%
Luce 0 0.0%
Mackinac 4 0.0%
Macomb 303 4.1%
Manistee 7 0.1%
Marquette 32 0.4%
Mason 4 0.0%
Mecosta 8 0.1%
Menominee 5 0.1%
Midland 36 0.5%
Missaukee 0 0.0%
Monroe 33 0.4%
Montcalm 9 0.1%
Montmorency 0 0.0%
Muskegon 52 0.7%
Newaygo 2 0.0%
Oakland 2,289 31.2%
Oceana 3 0.0%
Ogemaw 1 0.0%
Ontonagon 1 0.0%
Osceola 1 0.0%
Oscoda 0 0.0%
Otsego 5 0.1%
Ottawa 106 1.4%
Presque Isle 3 0.0%
Roscommon 3 0.0%
Saginaw 76 1.0%
Saint Clair 45 0.6%
Saint Joseph 9 0.1%
Sanilac 3 0.0%
Schoolcraft 0 0.0%
Shiawassee 9 0.1%
Tuscola 11 0.1%
Van Buren 15 0.2%
Washtenaw 389 5.3%
Wayne 1,670 22.8%
Wexford 14 0.2%
Total 7,326 100.0%

Young Lawyers, Active Members Residing in Other States or Jurisdictions, 2026

State or Jurisdiction N Percent
Alabama 7 0.4%
Alaska 3 0.2%
Alberta 1 0.1%
Arizona 24 1.3%
Arkansas 4 0.2%
Armed Forces Europe 5 0.3%
Armed Forces Pacific 1 0.1%
Baden-Württemberg 1 0.1%
California 137 7.5%
Chongqing 1 0.1%
Colorado 27 1.5%
Connecticut 7 0.4%
Delaware 1 0.1%
District of Columbia 97 5.3%
Florida 117 6.4%
Georgia 31 1.7%
Hawaii 8 0.4%
Idaho 5 0.3%
Illinois 348 19.2%
Indiana 127 7.0%
Iowa 3 0.2%
Kansas 5 0.3%
Kentucky 15 0.8%
Louisiana 6 0.3%
Maine 1 0.1%
Maryland 22 1.2%
Massachusetts 33 1.8%
Minnesota 33 1.8%
Mississippi 3 0.2%
Missouri 13 0.7%
Montana 5 0.3%
NS 1 0.1%
Nebraska 4 0.2%
Nevada 12 0.7%
New Hampshire 3 0.2%
New Jersey 19 1.0%
New Mexico 6 0.3%
New York 69 3.8%
North Carolina 28 1.5%
Ohio 225 12.4%
Oklahoma 13 0.7%
Ontario Canada 36 2.0%
Oregon 3 0.2%
Pennsylvania 49 2.7%
Puerto Rico 2 0.1%
Rhode Island 4 0.2%
South Carolina 10 0.6%
South Dakota 1 0.1%
Tennessee 22 1.2%
Texas 88 4.8%
Utah 8 0.4%
Vermont 2 0.1%
Virginia 39 2.1%
Washington 23 1.3%
Wisconsin 50 2.8%
Not Reported 8 0.4%
Total 1816 100.0%

Young Lawyers, All Active Members by Section Membership, 2026

Section Number Percent
Administrative & Regulatory Law 383 4.2%
Agricultural Law 77 0.8%
Alternative Dispute Resolution 133 1.5%
American Indian Law 113 1.2%
Animal Law 63 0.7%
Antitrust, Franchising & Trade Regulation 69 0.8%
Appellate Practice 295 3.2%
Arts, Comm., Entertainment & Sports 185 2.0%
Aviation Law 51 0.6%
Business Law 917 10.0%
Cannabis Law 188 2.1%
Children’s Law 128 1.4%
Consumer Law 143 1.6%
Criminal Law 778 8.5%
Elder Law & Disability Rights 211 2.3%
Environmental Law 163 1.8%
Family Law 427 4.7%
Government Law 232 2.5%
Health Care Law 189 2.1%
Immigration Law 149 1.6%
Information Technology Law 155 1.7%
Insurance and Indemnity Law 390 4.3%
Intellectual Property Law 297 3.2%
International Law 187 2.0%
Labor & Employment Law 516 5.6%
Law Practice Management & Legal Admin 77 0.8%
LGBTQ+ Law 146 1.6%
Litigation 696 7.6%
Military and Veterans’ Law 109 1.2%
Negligence Law 439 4.8%
Paralegal/Legal Assistant 6 0.1%
Prisons & Corrections 83 0.9%
Probate & Estate Planning 742 8.1%
Real Property Law 744 8.1%
Religious Liberty Law 101 1.1%
Senior Lawyers 3 0.0%
Social Security Lawyers 38 0.4%
Solo & Small Firm 317 3.5%
Taxation 168 1.8%
Workers’ Compensation Law 47 0.5%
Young Lawyers 9,142 100.0%
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