A significant wave of attorney departures from the US federal government is rapidly reshaping the legal job market, driving recruitment at major law firms and prompting operational adjustments across key federal agencies. New federal data and private sector analyses reveal that thousands of government lawyers left public service in 2025, marking one of the most substantial workforce shifts in decades.

According to the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), 8,599 licensed attorneys exited the federal government between President Donald Trump’s return to office and November 2025. After accounting for new hires, this resulted in a net decline of 6,524 federal lawyers —representing the second-largest annual reduction in federal attorney staffing since 2005 and reversing a long-term trend of steady growth.

Department of Justice Faces Heaviest Losses
The US Department of Justice (DOJ), the largest federal employer of attorneys, has borne the brunt of the departures. Approximately one-third of leaving lawyers were from the DOJ, with attrition spanning multiple divisions.

Particularly affected were the Civil Rights Division and the Federal Programs Branch, while the Tax Division has reportedly ceased operations entirely. White-collar crime enforcement and other complex litigation initiatives have been scaled back, reducing the department’s overall legal footprint.