From Christine Charnosky, First-Year Law School Enrollees Increase 13% Since 2023, Law.com, December 15, 2025. From the Law.com article:

According to those reports, first-year enrollees increased by 7.9% from 39,689 in 2024 to 42,817 in 2025, as of Dec. 15, while 2024 showed a 4.8% increase in enrollment as compared to 2023. Overall, for the past two years, first-year enrollment was up 13%.

Several factors have driven more people to apply and enroll in law school, including economic concerns and a polarized political environment, industry observers say.Previewing the demand, some law school deans have reported receiving a record number of applications.

Total enrollment for J.D. students at ABA-accredited law schools for 2025, as of Dec. 15, was 120,039, a 4% increase over 2024. In the past three years, there was a nearly 3% increase of total J.D. student enrollment.

Karen Sloan, US Job Market, Politics Fuel 8% Surge in Law School Enrollment, Reuters, December 15, 2025. For other coverage, see Stephanie Saul, At Many Top Law Schools, Black Student Enrollment Continues to Drop, New York Times, December 16, 2025; Janet Lorin, Harvard Law Enrolls 50 Black First Years, Doubling 2024’s Slump, Bloomberg, December 15, 2025.