Mass Exodus of Federal Lawyers Under President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump’s drive to shrink the federal workforce, close agencies and press attorneys to advance policies has produced a decline in government lawyers. A New York Times analysis of Office of Personnel Management data shows that more than 10,000 attorneys left federal service between early 2025 and March 2026—about one in five of the legal staff employed at the end of 2024. The Department of Education lost over half of its counsel, the Justice Department’s attorney count fell 21 %, while the Department of Homeland Security added lawyers due to immigration cases.

The IndependentNew York TimesPoliticoNew York Times

The Justice Department, led by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, offered $25,000 signing bonuses and lowered hiring standards, while Secretary Linda McMahon said the Education Department is “bringing back many of those lawyers” to clear a civil-rights litigation backlog. The Department of Homeland Security added lawyers to manage immigration-related litigation. These steps aim to replenish depleted legal teams and sustain the administration’s policy agenda.

The Independent

State attorneys general and nonprofit litigators cite the talent drain as evidence of widespread dissatisfaction. Phil Weiser, Colorado Attorney General, warned that federal lawyers are “dissatisfied, angry, frustrated, and want no part of it.” Law schools report that a Trump-era résumé now appears a liability for future employment.

New York Times

The exodus leaves agencies understaffed, weakening their ability to defend policies, litigate and enforce regulations, while the flow of former federal attorneys to Democratic state AG offices and advocacy groups bolsters opposition challenges. The resignation of a senior Treasury lawyer after the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund shows how high-profile disputes can hasten turnover.

New York Times

Headcount figures rely solely on the New York Times’ OPM analysis; no independent source offers a different count, and the data do not separate resignations from firings, leaving individual motivations unclear.

New York Times

• “A lot of people my age are asking, ‘Is it worth getting a job, and will that help career-wise – having one year of Trump administration experience on your résumé?’” — Matthew Duray, law student, George Mason University

The Independent

• “There’s all this awareness that people in the federal government are dissatisfied, are angry, are frustrated, and want no part of it,” — Phil Weiser, Colorado Attorney General

New York Times

• “A party’s decision to file a frivolous lawsuit for the sole purpose of forcing a settlement may qualify as such an improper purpose,” — U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams

Politico

• “bringing back many of those lawyers” — Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education

The Independent

The Justice Department will keep its bonus-driven hiring, the Education Department proceeds with rehiring, and federal courts—including Judge Williams’ probe of the anti-weaponization fund settlement—may intensify scrutiny of the administration’s legal tactics. State attorneys general are expected to keep attracting former federal counsel, extending the talent shift.

Politico