The National Association for Law Placement published new statistics today showing that U.S. Law firms made a median of 7 offers for summer associate positions in 2010. This figure is a decrease from last year when U.S. law firms made a median of 10 offers for summer associate positions. This year’s number of median offers is at a 17 year low. The decrease is most dramatic for firms with 700 plus attorneys. Big firms had a median offer rate of 30 in 2007 and 8 in 2009. Offer acceptances have reached an all time high of 43%.

Offer rates to students who completed a summer program dropped from 90% in 2008 to 69% in 2009, again the lowest offer rate in the 17 years NALP has tracked these statistics.