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Canadian in-house legal departments are being asked to do more, cover more ground, and shoulder greater organizational risk than ever before, often without corresponding increases in time, staffing, or support.
That is the central finding of the 2026 Canadian In-House Counsel Report, released today by CBA In-House Lawyers and Mondaq.
Drawing on nearly 500 responses from in-house lawyers across Canada, the report reveals a profession operating under sustained pressure as legal teams absorb rising workloads, broader non-legal responsibilities, and accelerating change — all while navigating tighter budgets, fast-moving technology adoption, and heightened business uncertainty.
Rather than reflecting a single-year disruption, the data points to a structural shift in how in-house legal work is defined, resourced, and valued.
- From growth partner to risk absorber: The survey shows that demand for in-house legal support continues to rise across nearly all practice areas, with particularly sharp increases in litigation, dispute resolution, and employment-related matters. At the same time, in-house lawyers report being more deeply embedded in enterprise risk, compliance, investigations, and government relations than in previous years.
As a result, legal departments are increasingly functioning as organizational shock absorbers: expected to manage risk, maintain velocity, and protect the business in environments marked by economic volatility, regulatory change, and geopolitical uncertainty. - Technology is accelerating but capacity is not: Investment in legal technology remains the top spending priority for organizations, with generative AI now central to innovation strategies across sectors. Most organizations are evaluating or piloting AI-enabled tools, yet many legal teams report skills gaps, integration challenges, and uncertainty about governance and implementation.
The findings suggest that technology adoption is accelerating faster than organizational readiness, placing additional cognitive and operational strain on already stretched legal teams. - Wellbeing becomes core risk: The majority of in-house lawyers report increased work-related stress and anxiety. This increase is most pronounced in public companies and government organizations, where complexity and accountability continue to intensify.
Notably, while workload and stress indicators rise, support and wellbeing initiatives do not rank among top organizational priorities, highlighting a growing disconnect between expectations placed on legal teams and the conditions required to sustain them. - What defines an effective lawyer is changing: The survey also marks a symbolic shift in professional identity: business understanding has overtaken communication skills as the most important attribute of an effective in-house lawyer. This change reflects the increasing expectation of in-house counsel to act as business advisers — a role that brings influence, but also exposure and responsibility.
An Inflection Point for Legal Leadership
The 2026 findings raise critical questions for legal leaders and organizations alike:
- How much additional responsibility can in-house teams absorb without structural change?
- Where should organizations invest — people, technology or external support — to avoid burnout and risk concentration?
- What does sustainable in-house practice look like in a permanently high-demand environment?
The report suggests that incremental adjustments may no longer be sufficient. Without intentional redesign of roles, resourcing models, and expectations, pressure on in-house legal teams is likely to intensify.
About the Survey
The 2025 Canadian In-House Counsel Survey is the fifth annual national study conducted by CBA In-House Lawyers and Mondaq. Developed with the guidance of a senior advisory board, the survey examines trends in workload, investment, technology, outsourcing, talent, and wellbeing across Canadian legal departments.
View the 2026 Canadian In-House Counsel Survey Report:
About CBA In-House Lawyers
CBA In-House Lawyers is the national voice of in-house counsel in Canada, representing more than 5,000 legal professionals across all provinces, territories, sectors, and industries. Founded in 1988, the organization supports in-house lawyers as strategic advisors and business partners through professional development, leadership programming, thought leadership, and peer connection. Learn more at www.cbainhouse.org.
About Mondaq & Legal 500
Mondaq and Legal 500 have come together to create one of the most comprehensive legal intelligence platforms available today. By combining Legal 500’s globally recognised benchmarking and deep research capabilities with Mondaq’s AI-enabled insights, expert analysis, and readership data, we now offer an unparalleled view of the legal landscape. This partnership strengthens our shared mission: to provide the legal market with a single, authoritative destination for research, insight, and strategic intelligence. For more information, visit www.mondaq.com.