The National Association for Law Placement, which represents law schools and about 800 employers, is still compiling figures on this fall's recruiting season.

But statistics collected by the National Association for Law Placement suggest what the situation is at those four firms.

According to the National Association for Law Placement, the earnings of lawyers in private practice have risen 70 percent since 1985.

The average starting salary of 1988 graduates from most accredited law schools was $35,814, according to the National Association for Law Placement.

More than 500 of those graduates were 46 or older, according to the National Association of Law Placement.

"Being on law review makes you a big fish anywhere you are," said Paula Patton, executive director of the National Association for Law Placement.

At large firms, 44 percent of new associates leave within three years and 73 percent within six, according to a 1998 study by the National Association for Law Placement.

Another survey by the National Association of Law Placement shows the Class of 2009 had a job placement rate of 89.7%.

Of the 60,394 partners at 1,523 law firms that provide data to the National Association of Law Placement, nearly 95 percent are white.

Recruiting Was Down The National Association for Law Placement will not begin collecting data on the employment status of 1991 graduates until the fall.