The Thomson Reuters Institute’s 2025 State of the Corporate Law Department report draws insights from 2,400 legal leaders, C-suite executives, and compliance professionals, offering a comprehensive look at current trends and priorities across law departments.
A key theme of this 36-page report is how in-house legal professionals are redefining value. This includes operational efficiency, economic impact, protection and security, and alignment with broader business goals. General counsel referenced value delivery three times more frequently than last year, highlighting its growing importance.
C-suite leaders identified several top concerns tied to value delivery, including generative AI (GenAI), increasing data volumes, geopolitical instability, and economic uncertainty. To manage rising outside counsel costs, many legal departments are shifting more work in-house while expanding their use of alternative legal service providers (ALSPs). Most teams already working with ALSPs plan to increase the share of legal work allocated to these providers.
Technology investment is also increasing. Sixty-seven percent of general counsel report turning to digital tools to improve efficiency across both internal operations and external legal engagements. Download your complimentary copy.
