More than 10,000 federal lawyers have left the government since President Donald Trump returned to office. The departures represent a 17 percent drop that has thinned legal staff across major agencies.

Democratic state attorneys general and advocacy groups have absorbed the displaced talent. The federal civilian legal workforce has been reduced as a result of the ongoing changes in federal employment.

The shift follows the start of the current administration in January 2025. Agencies have seen staffing levels decline in their legal divisions over the subsequent period.

Observers note that the loss of experienced personnel could affect the pace of regulatory and enforcement actions at the affected departments. State-level Democratic offices and nonprofit groups have moved quickly to recruit from the departing federal ranks.

No official projections have been released on further departures or recruitment efforts to refill the positions. The reported figures cover the civilian legal workforce only.