Published on May 19, 2020 by Morgan Black
The official American Bar Association (ABA) employment report for Cumberland School of Law’s class of 2019 has been released. Overall, the employment rate for the class reveals a record-breaking statistic of 87.21%.
This statistic is a 4% increase over the previous year and is the second-highest class employment rate ever, only behind the class of 2017’s 87.68% rate.
Other notable employment statistics for the class include the lowest rate of unemployed graduates in Cumberland’s history and an all-time high of 94.44% for those graduates eligible for employment. Additionally, the quality employment standard increased to 82.7%, an increase of 6.8% over the previous year and 14.59% higher than two years prior. This is one of the most stringent ways organizations analyze law school employment data using a formula only counting graduates employed in full-time, long-term jobs that either require a Juris Doctor or where a Juris Doctor is an advantage for the job.
“Cumberland is reaching new heights with employment but, equally important, raising the floor for employment standards too,” said Allen Howell, assistant dean and director of Cumberland’s Career Development Office.
Howell attributed the success of the class of 2019 report to the collective work of the Cumberland faculty and staff.
“Their support writing recommendation letters, providing referrals, contacting alumni and more helps our students tremendously and gives employers confidence in our graduates,” he said.
With dedicated students, involved alumni and with the continued support of the faculty and staff, Howell is confident employment rates for future graduating classes will continue this upward trend.
“These employment numbers demonstrate strong demand for law school graduates and Cumberland graduates in particular," Dean Corky Strickland added. "They are also a testament to the hard work of Cumberland’s career development staff.”
The full report can be viewed on the law school’s ABA required disclosures page.
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.