Slow new job growth and high annual turnover characterize the current job market for attorneys in Spokane County, making for a resilient and stable environment, some industry experts here say.

Mack Mayo, principal at Spokane-based law firm Paine Hamblen PS and chair of the firm’s Housing Law Practice Group, notes that stable employment rates are supported by legal industries that individuals here always have a need for, even during times of economic downturn.

“You have some backbone industries that are always going to be present — you're always going to have real estate, you're always going to have litigation,” Mayo says. “People are going to be buying and selling homes, so you're going to have transactions, even though that's a little bit lower.”

The legal field's high barrier to entry and competitive nature mean experienced attorneys making lateral moves may have more success at finding jobs than newer lawyers or recent law school graduates, says Mike McBride, regional labor economist for the Washington state Employment Security Department's northeast and north central regions.

“If there's more turnover at the higher level, people with higher levels of experience are also looking to make moves, so you're competing with higher-level candidates,” says McBride. “Overall, it's a little bit better environment for trying to find a role, but new grads typically have to have some sort of connection — either through internships or working at a firm while they're at school — to get the best shot at finding a role post-graduation.”

At Gonzaga University School of Law, one of only three law schools in Washington state, more than half of its 2025 class of graduates report employment statewide — 103 out of 198 total graduates — according to the university's 2025 employment summary. Nationwide, 159 of Gonzaga's 198 graduates, or 80% of graduates, report employment in jobs that require legal bar admission. As of March 2026, the majority of Gonzaga’s class of 2025 had secured positions, with only 17 graduates still seeking employment, information shows.

Law firms, including Paine Hamblen, typically hire attorneys based on client needs, often adding staff when specific industries pick up, Mayo says. In 2025, the firm hired several associates, including some Gonzaga School of Law graduates, he adds. Currently, the firm's existing workforce consists of nearly two dozen attorneys and about 45 full-time staff in total, Mayo says. 

Paine Hamblen leans toward a younger demographic; half of the firm's principals are under 45, with the most senior partners around 60 years old, he notes. 

“As those attorneys retire and pass their books on to other attorneys, we'll be hiring more associates to kind of backfill that. So, hiring always ebbs and flows,” says Mayo.

The firm often recruits lateral hires such as principals and senior associates with existing books of business in addition to newer associates, he adds.

Of the estimated 1,247 currently filled attorney positions in Spokane County as of the second quarter of 2026, 26.8%, or 334 openings, are anticipated this year, according to state employment data. That's partially attributed to retirement, lateral movement, and individuals exiting the legal field or moving to self-employment, McBride says.

State employment data shows a projection of eight new job openings due to growth this year, McBride adds.

Looking forward, the Employment Security Department is projecting the number of lawyer jobs in Spokane County will grow to 1,308 by 2033. An estimated average of 347 annual openings is projected from 2028 to 2033. That stable, slow growth, McBride says, is indicative of an industry that’s less affected by market downturns.

“The stability of the number of jobs locally being flat with slow growth is showing that outside macro conditions aren't necessarily affecting it downward or upward in good times or bad as much as markets could affect other professional jobs,” he says.

Attorneys here have an annual average salary of $133,000, McBride says, but salaries typically vary depending on the age and experience of the attorney.

Mayo adds that AI tools could eventually affect the number of attorney jobs available, but the technology likely won’t replace attorneys anytime soon. Principals at Paine Hamblen are instead seeking ways to use AI tools to make attorneys’ lives easier — by helping with scheduling, contract review, client intake, and other uses — not looking to use AI as a substitute for human talent.

Even if AI eventually allows firms to operate with smaller teams, Mayo says there will always be a demand for attorneys who provide significant value to their clients.

“There will always be openings for talented attorneys. It comes down to right place, right time, of course, but if you are somebody that demonstrates a hunger to work, you want to get out there, you know how to generate business, and you're willing to put in the work and the time, you are never going to have a hard time finding a job,” says Mayo.