We joke around a lot in a good-natured fashion about how recent graduates of law school are fucked up, down, and sideways. "You guys are just straight fucked," we often say (joshingly). Well—imagine our surprise when we found out that, in fact, recent graduates of law school really are fucked. Yikes! Touchy subject.

The American Bar Association has released the stats about how many law school graduates are actually employed as lawyers, rather than just "employed," as lawyers, panhandlers, can collectors, etc. The WSJ has the heartening results:

The numbers suggest the job market for law grads is worse than previously thought. Nationwide, only 55% of the class of 2011 had full-time, long-term jobs that required a law degree nine months after graduation. The ABA defines "long-term" jobs as those that don't have a term of less than one year.

Haha, by that definition a hefty percentage of law school graduates have a "long term" job as a Monster.com account holder! But seriously, who is to blame for this outrageous lack of necessary employment for our best and brightest and most indebted? I will tell you who is to blame: people like you, who do not have sufficient respect and admiration for the important work that lawyers do for our society—work like protecting civil rights, freeing Leonard Peltier, and helping corporations navigate the tax system in the most advantageous possible way for shareholders just like you.

This disrespect will be the topic of the next Recent Law School Graduates Club meeting, held at 7 p.m. in the shed in the southeast corner of the park. Snacks will be provided, and a cash bar. Yes, security guards will be in place to enforce the cash bar. No more incidents like last time.

[WSJ. Photo: AP]