The State of Legal Talent and Careers 2026

Signals on how in-house legal professionals move, stay, and succeed

What do your peers in legal want in 2026 – and where has reality still not caught up?

This report brings together insights from a workshop facilitated by Openli Community (by Cerivo) where in-house legal professionals reflected on career movement, retention, success in a new role, and what companies still underestimate about legal talent.

Combined with market perspectives from Korn Ferry, it offers a clearer picture of how legal professionals think about their roles, their careers, and the conditions they need to thrive.

Feel free to get the report here.

Why this report matters

The legal role is changing.

The markets increasingly expect in-house legal professionals to be more strategic, business-oriented, and influential. But how does that compare with what legal professionals themselves experience in reality?

This report explores the question through workshop-based insights gathered directly from the room.

It’s for legal professionals who want to understand:

  • what drives career moves
  • what makes your stay
  • what matters most in a new role
  • what companies still underestimate about legal talent
  • where the biggest gaps still remain between the market expectations and real-life experience

What you’ll uncover

Inside this report, you’ll explore:

  • what makes legal talent leave
  • what makes legal talent stay
  • what matters most for succeeding in a new role
  • what companies still underestimate about legal talent
  • which legal talent trends are shaping 2026

Who should read it?

This report is relevant for:

  • in-house legal professionals
  • General Counsel and Heads of Legal
  • teams working closely with legal
  • employers looking to better understand legal talent
  • recruiters hiring for legal roles

FAQ

What do in-house legal professionals say makes them change jobs?

The report explores the strongest signals behind job change, based on workshop reflections from in-house legal professionals on growth, meaning, influence, and leadership.

What do peers say matters when succeeding in a new role?

A key theme in the report is that success is shaped not only by individual capability, but also by clarity, stakeholder trust, internal relationships, and business understanding.

What do legal professionals think companies still underestimate about legal talent?

A recurring theme in the workshop findings is that legal professionals believe in companies often underestimate their business understanding, strategic judgment, and broader value.

What can I learn from the workshop findings in the report?

The report gives you a peer-based view of how in-house legal professionals think about career movement, retention, success in a new role, and the gap between market expectations and lived reality.

Get the report for free

Want a clearer picture of how legal talent moves, stays, and succeeds in 2026?

Get the report here to explore signals, tensions, and gaps shaping legal careers right now.