President Trump’s overhaul of the federal government has triggered a major exodus of legal talent, with more than 10,000 lawyers leaving federal service since the start of 2025. A New York Times analysis of federal employment data found that roughly one in five government lawyers who were in place at the end of 2024 had departed by March 2026, as staffing cuts, resignations and policy disputes reshaped the legal work force. While agencies hired about 3,200 lawyers during the period, departures still outpaced hiring, leaving the federal government with about 37,000 civilian lawyers at the end of March, 17 percent fewer than at the end of 2024.
The Justice Department, which employs more than a quarter of all federal lawyers, recorded the largest drop in raw numbers. Other agencies, including the Education Department, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, lost an even larger share of their attorneys. The only major agency to add lawyers was the Department of Homeland Security, whose legal ranks grew as it advanced the administration’s immigration crackdown.
The loss of attorneys has had wide-ranging effects. In some agencies, fewer lawyers means fewer internal checks on executive actions, but it has also reduced the government’s ability to defend policies in court and carry out basic legal work such as litigation, regulatory review and enforcement. Former officials said some departments are struggling to keep up with backlogs and essential duties. The Education Department, for example, said it needs more lawyers in its civil rights division to handle discrimination cases. The Environmental Protection Agency also saw a sharp decline in legal staff as enforcement work stalled or was redirected.
The political climate around the administration has also made federal service less attractive to many law graduates and practicing attorneys. Some students and young lawyers say they fear that a job in the current administration could hurt their long-term prospects or signal political disloyalty to future employers. Others are choosing state attorneys general offices, local governments and nonprofit groups instead, especially those challenging Trump administration policies in court.
State officials are benefiting from the shift. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said his office has hired 22 lawyers from across the federal government in the past year, reflecting a broader movement of experienced attorneys into state-level litigation and advocacy roles. Law schools are also adjusting, helping students interested in public service find opportunities beyond Washington.
At the same time, the federal government is trying to recruit new lawyers. The Office of Personnel Management has launched a talent network, while some Justice Department divisions have relaxed hiring requirements and promoted fast-tracked recruiting. But the effort has drawn limited interest so far, and high-profile resignations, including one at the Treasury Department, have added to concerns about instability and political pressure inside the administration.
For many observers, the broader shift is more than a staffing problem. It marks a deep change in where legal talent sees integrity, stability and meaningful public service. Some of Trump’s opponents are gaining seasoned attorneys, but experts warn that the federal government’s reduced legal capacity is not sustainable over the long term.
