California Legal Recruiters

The Legal Industry in California

Although the legal market in California has historically been fueled by tech companies, real estate, and the entertainment industry, corporate law openings are now popping up everywhere. During the last two years, many prestigious firms have opened new offices in the Golden State to better serve regional clients.    

California has more than 266,000 lawyers, including approximately 25,000 in Los Angeles. In addition to L.A., some of the state’s most populous cities are San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, and Sacramento (state capital). Driven by economic sectors that include agriculture, service (including tourism), and entertainment, California’s Gross State Product (GSP) is the highest in the nation.   

Presently, the hottest practice specialties for California-based attorneys include Intellectual Property Law, Privacy and Cybersecurity Law, Employment Law, and Corporate and Private Equity Law. Although the Bay Area has long been a hotbed for Tech-related legal work, L.A. has now seen an uptick in those jobs as companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta/Facebook have expanded operations there.   

Is It Difficult to Practice Law in California? 

Anyone seeking admission to the State Bar of California must first pass the Bar Exam, along with the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). The California Bar will also accept Reciprocity applications from any attorneys who have been practicing in good standing within another US jurisdiction for a minimum of four years.  

Once they’ve met those requirements, newly licensed attorneys have five years to apply for formal admission to the State Bar. For more information about how to practice law in California, please visit www.lawyeredu.org.  

Lawyers and other legal professionals throughout California can take advantage of the state’s many employment opportunities, bar associations, and legal organizations. Like many regions of the country, California’s legal industry rebounded in 2021 and experienced robust growth – a positive trend that should continue over the next few years.