Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming one of the most valuable skills in the legal hiring market.
A new report from Major, Lindsey & Africa shows employers across the United States are increasingly looking for lawyers who can combine legal expertise with AI fluency, business strategy and cross-functional leadership as legal departments evolve in 2026. Demand remains especially strong in private equity, health care, securities and technology-related roles, while a coming wave of general counsel retirements is expected to create new leadership opportunities and intensify succession planning efforts.
The report also found that employers are struggling to find candidates with experience in AI, cybersecurity, data privacy and compliance, creating growing opportunities for lawyers willing to develop tech-focused and strategic skill sets.
Here’s a summary of the findings from the report for the United States.
How is the legal landscape shaping up in the U.S.
The report observes more focus on succession planning, with companies wanting to bring talent from the outside to ensure a strong bench.
In-house counsel hiring remains robust in private equity, M&A, corporate governance and health care, with consistently high demand for securities and health care lawyers at all levels.
In key U.S. regions such as the Bay Area and Boston, demand for general counsel and senior legal professionals has remained steady rather than surging. Biotech, life sciences, fintech and regulated industries continue to be the most active sectors.
The supply of experienced general counsel is also steady, driven by ongoing acquisitions and company closures. In financial services, GC hiring is described as “event-driven,” often triggered by retirements or IPOs, rather than purely market-driven. In fintech, new GC appointments are common as companies prepare public offerings.
There is a particular need for professionals with expertise in data privacy, AI, and cybersecurity, as well as compliance and governance specialists. However, employers face notable shortages of experienced securities attorneys, lower-level commercial contracts lawyers and candidates who combine legal expertise with AI literacy.
Across markets, the role of the general counsel continues to expand well beyond traditional legal oversight. General counsel are increasingly expected to serve as strategic leaders, often taking on additional responsibilities in human resources, finance, government affairs, crisis management and ESG (environmental, social, governance) initiatives.
This “GC+” evolution is both formal and informal, with GC acting as connectors between innovation, compliance and company culture. Notably, deputy general counsel (DGC) are more frequently running day-to-day legal operations, while GC focus on high-level strategy and board engagement. This shift underscores the growing importance of succession planning and the operational upskilling of DGC.
In the Northeast, specifically Boston, interim hiring is shifting away from commercial contracts attorneys toward greater activity in boutique finance, life sciences and health care fields. Many contract attorneys are reverting to full-time positions, and there’s a notable trend of under-hiring and upskilling, with paralegals and contracts managers remaining in demand.
Across other major East Coast interim markets, there is significant tech transactions work, along with increased demand in real estate, banking, finance, trade compliance and investigations/HR law. Attorneys with substantial AI expertise are especially sought for tech-driven roles.
Expected 2026 hiring trends in the U.S.
Both permanent and interim hiring are generally anticipated to trend upward, with many clients bullish on 2026 and planning to add headcount in anticipation of a reaccelerating economy. Highly regulated industries will continue to hire at a steady rate.
A wave of GC retirements should continue through 2026, driving demand for experienced corporate counsel and succession planning at senior levels. Over 130 companies in the Fortune 500 have GC age 60 or over. M&A and private equity activity, especially in tech, energy and life sciences, will sustain the hiring of transactional lawyers, while tech-driven and AI-focused legal roles will keep expanding.
The life sciences teams expect strong hiring for Big Pharma companies, who seek attorneys with expertise in AI, regulatory, privacy, product counsel, market access and patent law. Ongoing regulatory changes will further drive recruitment efforts globally.
Interim hiring is prevalent across all legal roles. Economic uncertainty and budget constraints are leading more companies to favor interim or contingent resources over retained searches. Interim roles are increasingly seen as anticyclical, more common during economic downturns, and serve as a valuable pathway for lawyers seeking permanent positions through “temp-to-hire” arrangements.
In the technology interim markets, the outlook is mixed; more RFPs are emerging from large tech companies, but widespread AI adoption could reduce demand for contractors handling routine work like contract drafting. MLA has seen a 42% increase in RFP requests in 2025 with about a quarter of those tied to interim work. In a recent Corporate Counsel article, Matt Weaver, MLA executive director, interim legal talent, said, “this is driven by a desire to cut through vendor noise and streamline decision making.” Interim hiring should stay strong for product counsel and compliance.
Legal hiring across tech sectors will continue to expand into nontraditional industries, as more organizations develop tech-driven business lines.
U.S. AI adoption and digital transformation
In the U.S., technology, especially AI, will continue to reshape legal roles as GC face ongoing pressure to boost efficiencies and reduce costs. Many teams are adopting AI for contract review, e-discovery and compliance work, mainly to make their jobs easier rather than replacing staff. Demand will grow for attorneys with AI literacy or tech backgrounds, particularly for tech-focused roles. Additionally, GC are increasingly expected to lead AI ethics and governance frameworks.
While true AI expertise among lawyers remains rare, companies are prioritizing adaptability and a willingness to learn.
Many legal teams are hiring consultants and upskilling privacy and cybersecurity lawyers to fill the AI knowledge gap.
