The Structure of Legal Careers in Rhode Island
The legal job market in the Ocean State continues to show signs of diversification from the traditional New England litigation hubs. The number of both career opportunities, and candidates seeking new employment, have increased and the market shows no signs of slowing down. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of lawyers is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations at 6% between 2014-2024. The O’Brien Group has found that areas such as estate planning, intellectual property, litigation, and employment are strong for employers, while the area of corporate law seems to have softening demand. The average salary for attorneys in the Providence MSA is the third highest in New England, at $101,000. It is however 17% lower than Boston salaries and 21% lower than the New York metropolitan area (ZipRecruiter). A recent Glassdoor job posting noted that entry level Associate salaries start at $61,000 for New England firms, with the largest salaries going to Partners at $333,000. Salaries for Partners and Associates have remained flat for several years, and well below the highly compensated attorneys in Boston and New York. This can be a weakness in the area when it comes to making an offer to a candidate from outside the region , but a strength for those candidates already located in New England. The cost of living in Rhode Island is significantly lower than in southern Massachusetts and at 13-17% lower that Boston, of which the majority of attorneys do not make a commute. Legal hiring trends have also seen a diversification as well. While the traditional view of legal hiring was one where law firms handled more labor and employment work in house, many firms are now using contracting and staffing firms to source their permanent legal hires. This trend allows recruiting firms to vet candidates in advance and allows clients to ‘try before they buy’ with candidates who may have unconventional backgrounds. In addition, the number of large international firms in the northeastern part of the state has increased along with some of the large regional firms opening offices. While New York still remains the preferred location for investments, and some of the major firms have even opened offices in Boston, many firms are targeting cities such as Providence for future investment. As firms continue to grow in the 21st century, we expect Southern New England to become an increasingly attractive location for international firms targeting the US market.
In-Demand Legal Occupations
In Rhode Island, the most in-demand legal positions typically include lawyers, paralegals, and legal assistants.
Lawyers are essential to every segment of the legal field, as they provide critical counsel to individuals and organizations and present their clients’ cases before the law. Corporate lawyers are typically expected to work a substantial number of hours, as their heavy caseloads can keep them working well into the evening and on weekends.
Paralegals are the glue that holds many law offices together by handling the administrative tasks faced by attorneys. They call witnesses, gather evidence, and essentially gear up the case for the attorney. They also file motions, interview witnesses, and draft simple legal documents. Their duties vary depending on the area of law and the size of the firm, while larger firms tend to employ multiple paralegals.
Legal assistants perform similar functions for a law office and may hold a four-year degree. Paralegals may also be known as legal assistants.
During the 2018-19 fiscal year, attorneys were ranked first among the most in-demand legal jobs in Rhode Island, according to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training agency. There were 2,165 licensed lawyers in the state, while 170 paralegals and legal assistants held jobs there.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that the field is anticipated to grow by 4 percent from 2019 to 2029, which is about as fast as the average for other occupations throughout the state.
There may be a demand for lawyers because of the industry’s 8 percent growth from 2017 to 2027. According to the BLS, higher demand for legal services will spur growth for all fields, including corporate, litigation, and real estate lawyers.
Because they assist lawyers in many aspects of the process, paralegals are also expected to be in high demand. The BLS finds that they are the "lifeblood" of each law office and that their contribution is critical to managing large amounts of information for a case.
The BLS reports that the median annual salary of a lawyer in the Ocean State was $135,370 as of May 2018, while the median pay for a paralegal/legal assistant was $54,320.
Pursuing a legal career in Providence may be very satisfying to many people. That city was recently ranked as the nation’s third-best city for attorneys to live in by Smart Asset.
Educational Pathways and Law School
To practice law in Rhode Island, as in all other states and the District of Columbia, one must pass the state bar exam. To sit for the exam you must first have a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA accredited law school. Since there are no law schools in Rhode Island, one would typically attend the University of Massachusetts Law School or one of the Connecticut or New York law schools. However, some Rhode Island residents attend law schools in Boston or even Washington D.C. as well. Although your first task is to find a law school that will accept you and vice versa, one should also pay attention to whether the law schools have any specific programs, advisory boards, internship or job placement opportunities that would lead to an increased likelihood of a position with a New England law firm or other legal employer.
Professional Organizations and Contacts
Achieving success as a legal professional in Rhode Island involves more than just excelling in law school or landing a prestigious clerkship. The process of fostering connections is vital to career progression, and the state is home to several influential professional organizations dedicated to the advancement of attorneys and their professions. Additionally, these organizations play host to networking events that serve as invaluable career development tools.
The Rhode Island Bar Association is the most prominent of these legal organizations and encompasses virtually every member of the state’s legal community. In addition to conducting continuing legal education and professional development seminars, the RIBBA also assists in the coordination of numerous legal events and includes a wide variety of legal skills sections and practice-specific groups.
Yet another professional association with far-reaching implications for local legal professionals is the United States District of Rhode Island Bar Association (the "Rhode Island Federal Bar Association"). The Rhode Island Federal Bar Association provides an excellent resource for contacts throughout the federal court system. Its members include federal judges, clerks and lawyers from virtually every major law firm in the area. The Rhode Island Federal Bar Association also publishes a biannual newsletter that includes news about its members and upcoming legal events.
With a membership that includes state and federal judges, as well as attorneys in all practice areas and at all levels throughout Rhode Island, the Federal Bar Association is one of the best places to find tips and contacts when pursuing a legal career in the Ocean State.
Compensation and Benefits
Salaries for legal positions in Rhode Island can range significantly, as they do in many states across the country. Nonetheless, there are established ranges on the whole, some of which are reflected by area of practice, as well as level of experience. For instance, a corporate counsel position comes with an average annual salary of $113,000. Entry level associates, in contrast, earn average salaries of $66,860. A position with the federal government offers an even heftier salary of $108,000, while those working in employment law average $75,015, and those working in litigation, an average of $99,476 . The benefits offered to lawyers are extremely important to consider as well. The most commonly offered benefits include health care plans, retirement benefits, and other perks such as generous paid time off (PTO). There are also non-legal job benefits available to legal professionals in the state, such as those that provide child care assistance, educational assistance, legal services, and even flexible work schedules.
Networking Essentials for Rhode Island Legal Professionals
As with any job search, legal employment opportunities can be identified through various approaches. While traditional methods, such as directly responding to job postings on law firm or legal organization websites, are still viable strategies, you really need to be proactive and go beyond those "apply now" buttons to get the best insight into opportunities in the Rhode Island legal market. The small size of the legal industry in Rhode Island means you can start conversations with attorneys and other decision-makers that could lead to future employment, so you can’t limit yourself to a passive approach. Not only will you learn more about the culture of Rhode Island firms, but you’ll also often end up on the radar of people making decisions in those firms, which may make you the target of future recruitment efforts.
There are numerous job boards for attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries, and other legal professionals, some that are free and some that charge a dollar amount. The downside to most of these is that people competing for legal positions are likely all using them; you’re less likely to be noticed when your resume is just one of 500 or more that have landed in someone’s inbox.
Another effective strategy to broaden your knowledge of the Rhode Island legal employment market is to visit the career pages of individual Rhode Island firms directly. The "big guns" in Rhode Island are Adams Legal Search’s top-ranked employment firm, Partridge Snow & Ruggles, and their closest competitor coming in at number two. Both of those are going to want to stay on top of their reputations, so it’s possible to glean information about how they view their employees.
You can also take the opportunity to connect with an Adams Legal Search recruiter. We specialize in putting law firms and attorneys together for mutual benefit. Reach out to us if you’d like to speak with someone about your options and for help in mapping out your next career moves.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Rhode Island Legal Industry
As we look towards the future, it is essential to consider emerging trends and what they will mean for the legal landscape in Rhode Island. For starters, as in all other states and throughout the entire world, technology will play a massive role in shaping the success and productivity of legal practitioners. The automation of various legal tasks will continue to diminish the reliance on expensive, time-consuming processes while radically reducing the cost of obtaining high-quality, computerized intelligence. While law firms will be forced to adapt in a competitive market, new technologies will also create new opportunities in Rhode Island. New roles such as legal data analyst , information governance officer, knowledge engineer and more will develop as the legal sector seeks to improve its efficiency of services. As well, new technologies will encourage collaboration among legal practitioners thus reinforcing legal knowledge-sharing. These shifts will likely result in increased efficiency translating into lower costs for the clients served by Rhode Island attorneys and law firms. While the legal sector in Rhode Island will continue to experience some challenges over the next decade, it is clear that technological advancements will create opportunities for local law firms, their lawyers and their clients.