Employment in the U.S. legal sector took another hit in March, with the industry losing 1,500 jobs, according to preliminary data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The agency's Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 1,121,800 people employed in March in the legal services sector, though the figures in the monthly jobs report could be revised.

The March results mark a contraction from the 1,123,300 people employed in the legal services industry in February, BLS reported. They also constitute the third straight month in which the legal sector lost jobs—after more than 1.126 million jobs were reported in December, the industry's employment figures have declined each month so far in 2017.