Artificial intelligence, evolving regulations and data privacy are changing the role of in-house legal counsel, said legal executive search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa’s first quarter of 2025 in-house counsel market conditions report.
The New Year was marked by a flurry of activity in the U.S. aimed at fundamentally reshaping the U.S. government. While the full impact of the new administration remains to be seen across the globe, C-Suite and legal executives are watching carefully, thinking ahead and assessing their talent needs accordingly. Most companies seem to have resumed hiring post-election, and they are ready to expand budgets and staffing across all levels.
Impact of the new administration on talent needs
Major, Lindsey & Africa teams report an influx of candidates as attorneys in both the public and private sectors are seeking new opportunities. There is a positive outlook among larger public companies anticipating deregulation, which could unlock pent-up demand and drive hiring.
M&A activity is expected to spike as regulatory scrutiny eases, leading to more demand for corporate lawyers and potentially less for compliance expertise. Healthcare, pharmaceuticals and higher education are also likely to experience regulatory shifts requiring them to quickly add legal headcount.
Advancements in AI continue to drive funding, hiring and product launches across the software, financial, healthcare, food & beverage, retail, supply chain and energy sectors.
Companies are closely monitoring developments in tariffs and trade policy, and legal departments may soon need to look at reshaping their regulatory teams.
With the White House already making moves to purge the federal workforce, more U.S. government lawyers may be headed for the private sector.
Some U.S. organizations publicly announced scaling back public DEI commitments given the sweeping executive order on these initiatives. However, those with deeply held convictions may decide to stay the course.
RTO remains a contentious issue. While some clients are pushing for in-office requirements of 3–5 days per week, candidates continue to strongly prioritize remote flexibility when making moves.
How will 2025 influence the general counsel role?
In 2025, GCs will continue evolving into “GC-plus” roles, making robust business acumen more critical than ever.
Organizations decreasing their workforce are centralizing administrative, human resources and compliance functions under the general counsel.
Privacy, risk management and government relations will continue to fall within the GC’s scope of duties, with the potential for oversight of communications and investor relations.
GCs can also be expected to deal with trade, tariffs and supply chain issues as the year unfolds.
Continuing digital transformation, especially AI, will heavily impact the role of GC, requiring them to navigate evolving regulations, data privacy concerns and the impact of new technologies on business processes.
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