Bench & Bar November/December 2025

PRESIDENT'S PAGE

BY TODD V. MCMURTRY KBA PRESIDENT FEWER LAWYERS, FEWER MEN, AND A CHANGING WORKPLACE THE FUTURE OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION: DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES

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he American legal profession is in the midst of an unprecedented generational and technological transformation. Across the country—and especially in states such as Kentucky— the number of active lawyers is poised to decline over the next decade as the Baby Boom generation exits the workforce. At the same time, fewer men are entering the profession, and artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the practice of law itself. To reach this conclusion, I reviewed demo graphic data tracked by the Kentucky Bar Association (KBA), the ABA Profile of the Legal Profession 2024, and enrollment statistics from the ABA Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. Together, these sources point toward a future legal landscape with fewer total law yers, fewer men and a shift to AI generated work.

As of July 2025, the Kentucky Bar Association counted approximately 19,930 active mem bers. Roughly 6,000, or 30%, of those lawyers were born between 1946 and 1964—the Baby Boomer generation. These Boomers form the backbone of the state’s legal expertise, but they are nearing or past traditional retirement age. Even assuming partial retention of experienced practitioners, the next 10 years will see a sharp contraction as Boomers exit the profession. Assuming 15% (600) of Boomer lawyers retire each year with approximately 250 or so joining the profession, the total number of attorneys in Kentucky will drop by about 3,500 or 17.5%. And, although law school admissions have reportedly surged in 2025, there has been a long-term decline in the growth rate of the legal profession. In its demographics report, the ABA stated that in the 20th Century the legal profession grew by about 8% per year. In the 21st Century that has dropped to 1% annual growth. In the past five years, the number of lawyers has decreased. The most likely reason is Boomer retirements combined with fewer law school graduations. In the next 10 years, Boomer retirements will necessarily lead to a net loss of attorneys in Kentucky and across the country.

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november/december 2025