{"id":113184,"date":"2025-12-08T15:42:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T15:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taylorroot.com\/?p=113184"},"modified":"2026-03-17T12:20:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T12:20:03","slug":"how-ma-deals-and-ai-are-influencing-us-in-house-legal-hiring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/market-insight\/how-ma-deals-and-ai-are-influencing-us-in-house-legal-hiring\/","title":{"rendered":"How M&amp;A deals and AI are influencing US in-house legal hiring"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide post-content-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shifts in deal activity, developments in artificial intelligence and evolving compensation expectations are influencing how companies hire in the United States. Recent insights from <a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/consultants\/jon-coles\/\">Jon Coles<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/consultants\/john-spinosa\/\">John Spinosa<\/a> highlight how legal teams are preparing for 2026, what skills are becoming more sought after and how both employers and candidates can adapt to a fast-moving legal sector. Their observations point to rising demand for specialist legal professionals, greater selectivity from companies and a continued emphasis on value-driven hiring across <a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/our-specialisms\/in-house-legal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in-house legal teams.<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"video-outer-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"video-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How M&amp;A deals and AI are influencing US in-house legal hiring, with John Spinosa and Jon Coles\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0s5tGM19txc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- \/\/ hd-video__wrapper -->\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-m-amp-a-activity-is-rising-again-increasing-demand-for-in-house-talent\">M&amp;A activity is rising again, increasing demand for in-house talent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">M&amp;A deals remain a major driver of in-house hiring, particularly across corporate, commercial and product-focused legal roles. Reflecting on the most recent GC conference, Jon Coles noted that although \u201cdeal volume [was] down,\u201d deal value was trending upward, and the risk-reward considerations behind transactions have become more central to decision-making. He explained that companies are being more selective about the M&amp;A transactions they pursue, focusing on sectors such as \u201cenergy, technology, healthcare,\u201d all of which continue to show strong market trends and generate demand for in-house lawyers with transactional experience.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Jon shared that \u201cfrom January to June, M&amp;A was definitely quiet,\u201d but activity has increased significantly in the second half of the year. This rise in appetite for deals is translating into greater movement across the US<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/our-specialisms\/legal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">legal recruitment<\/a> market, particularly for lawyers who can support due diligence, risk management and the broader deal process. The requirement for in-house counsel who can work closely with stakeholders and navigate complex M&amp;A transactions is expected to grow further as companies prepare for 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ai-is-becoming-a-core-consideration-in-legal-hiring\">AI is becoming a core consideration in legal hiring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artificial intelligence is influencing the types of legal roles companies look to fill and how they assess candidates. Jon explained that his team has seen \u201ca number of instructions for product counsel to come on board and drive AI programs for companies,\u201d reflecting a growing need for lawyers who can advise on new technologies, regulatory compliance and the use of AI tools within products and business operations.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>He also noted that many legal teams may already have access to helpful AI tools through their IT departments, even before considering external legal tech platforms. Jon highlighted that \u201cthere are lots of tools already available to them through their own IT teams,\u201d reminding legal teams that effective legal services can be supported without heavy investment in new systems.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>AI is also becoming a direct part of the interview process. John Spinosa described a recent private equity process where candidates were required to participate in a dedicated AI session. He shared that this was the first time his team had seen AI \u201ccarved out\u201d as a formal component of an interview. This shift indicates that legal teams, particularly in private equity, financial services and technology, are placing greater emphasis on AI\u2019s impact on legal work and the skill sets needed to support AI adoption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-us-legal-hiring-market-is-gaining-momentum-heading-into-2026\">The US legal hiring market is gaining momentum heading into 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both Jon and John expect 2026 to be a strong year for in-house legal hiring. The second half of 2025 has already shown significant movement. John observed that \u201cJuly and August were not normal summer months. They felt like September, October,\u201d a period that typically reflects the highest recruitment activity. This momentum is expected to influence hiring needs across both financial services and the commercial sector.\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br>A key factor supporting this outlook is the growing alignment between employers and candidates on compensation. John noted that post-Covid, there was a significant gap between what clients were willing to pay and what candidates expected, but this \u201chas been shrinking and shrinking\u201d and is now \u201cnormalizing a bit.\u201d This normalization is creating a more balanced environment for in-house hiring, supported by clearer benchmarks across the market, including data from our <a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/report\/in-house-legal-and-compliance-salary-guide-us\/\">US legal salary guide<\/a>.\u00a0<br>\u00a0<br>Sign-on bonuses are another area where expectations are shifting. Smaller private equity funds continue to use them to attract legal talent, but John anticipates that the need for these incentives will reduce over time. He explained that while \u201cthere will be a need for sign on bonuses to attract certain talent,\u201d the trend may lessen as the compensation equilibrium continues to stabilize<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-broader-impacts-across-legal-teams\">Broader impacts across legal teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These changes are also shaping the wider legal sector as companies reassess how their legal departments operate during periods of higher deal volume. Legal teams involved in M&amp;A transactions are taking a closer look at due diligence requirements, regulatory compliance considerations and how legal services can support the overall deal process. As artificial intelligence becomes more common across business functions, in-house counsel are also evaluating its impact on legal work and how new legal tech tools may fit into their existing workflows. These factors are contributing to broader decision-making across legal teams as they plan for 2026.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>These shifts are also influencing how <a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/our-specialisms\/general-counsel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">general counsel<\/a><strong> <\/strong>roles evolve, particularly as leaders look to strengthen their teams in response to increased deal flow and the growing impact of AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-this-means-for-legal-teams-in-2026\">What this means for legal teams in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Expect increased competition for lawyers with M&amp;A and product experience, especially in sectors such as energy, technology and healthcare<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prepare for AI to influence hiring decisions, skill requirements and interview processes across legal teams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anticipate continued hiring momentum, with heightened activity across financial services, private equity and commercial industries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use salary benchmarks strategically, as employer and candidate expectations become more aligned across the legal sector<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evaluate the use of sign-on bonuses carefully, particularly for smaller funds or firms seeking specialist talent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n\t<div class=\"hd-block hd-block-author\" id=\"block_7a002666760cdcb129c6a18306cbcb45\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"eyebrow-group\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"hd-block-job__title is-style-eyebrow eyebrow-group__title\">Author<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"cards cards--people\">\n\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"card card--person post-78475 hd_person type-hd_person status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry hd_person_sector-banking-and-financial-services hd_person_sector-corporate-and-commercial hd_person_seniority-director-group-manager hd_person_specialism-in-house hd_person_location-us\" id=\"block_7a002666760cdcb129c6a18306cbcb45-person-78475\">\n\n\t<div class=\"card--person__inner\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card__image-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/consultants\/jon-coles\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/JonColes_web-300x300.png\" class=\"card__image test\" alt=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, (max-width: 781px) 50vw, (max-width: 1023px) 40vw, (max-width: 1200px) 25vw, 370px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/JonColes_web-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/JonColes_web-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/JonColes_web-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/JonColes_web.png 1000w\" \/><\/a>\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__titles\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"card__title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/consultants\/jon-coles\/\">Jon Coles<\/a><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"card__subtitle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/consultants\/jon-coles\/\">Director | In-house Legal<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__location\">US<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__email\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"card__contact-link card__contact-link--email\" href=\"mailto:joncoles@taylorroot.com\">joncoles@taylorroot.com<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__tel\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"card__contact-link card__contact-link--tel\" href=\"tel:+16469331249\">+1 646 933 1249<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n\t<div class=\"hd-block hd-block-jobs is-style-reduced alignwide\" id=\"block_43fc8c6b79fbe9e6a8fdaccdf58447d7\" style=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"eyebrow-group\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"hd-block-job__title is-style-eyebrow eyebrow-group__title\">Jobs<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"cards cards--jobs\">\n\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"card card--job post-124645 job_listing type-job_listing status-publish hentry\" id=\"block_43fc8c6b79fbe9e6a8fdaccdf58447d7-job-124645\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/job\/residential-property-senior-associate-5-pqe-124645\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_industry\">Law firm<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_contract\">Permanent<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"card__title\">Residential Property Senior Associate 5+ PQE<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">Senior Associate &#8211; Residential Property (5+ PQE) About the Firm A highly respected boutique firm with an exceptional pedigree in private wealth and real estate matters. The firm is well-regarded for its personalised approach and expertise dealing with top-tier clients, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, trustees, and family offices, making them a leader in their [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list meta-list--icons\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">Posted 2 days ago<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card__read-more\">Read more<\/p>\n\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card--job post-124613 job_listing type-job_listing status-publish hentry job_position_featured\" id=\"block_43fc8c6b79fbe9e6a8fdaccdf58447d7-job-124613\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/job\/interim-legal-counsel-fmcgretail-124613\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_industry\">Retail<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_contract\">Fixed term contract<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"card__title\">Interim Legal Counsel &#8211; FMCG\/Retail<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">A leading consumer brands business is seeking a commercially minded Legal Counsel to join its UK Legal team on a 12-month fixed-term contract commencing in September. This is a broad, business-facing role offering exposure to commercial contracts, marketing, advertising, consumer law, intellectual property, data protection and strategic business projects. Role overview \u00b7 Join a well-established [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list meta-list--icons\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">Posted 2 days ago<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card__read-more\">Read more<\/p>\n\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card--job post-124587 job_listing type-job_listing status-publish hentry\" id=\"block_43fc8c6b79fbe9e6a8fdaccdf58447d7-job-124587\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/job\/corporate-senior-associate-6-pqe-124587\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_industry\">Law firm<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_contract\">Permanent<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"card__title\">Corporate Senior Associate 6+ PQE<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">Senior Associate &#8211; Corporate (6+ PQE) About the Firm A highly regarded UK law firm with a strong footprint across London and the South East is seeking a Senior Associate to join its expanding corporate team. The firm is known for its collaborative culture, sector focus, and commitment to both client service excellence and career [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list meta-list--icons\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">Posted 3 days ago<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card__read-more\">Read more<\/p>\n\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card--job post-124549 job_listing type-job_listing status-publish hentry job_position_featured\" id=\"block_43fc8c6b79fbe9e6a8fdaccdf58447d7-job-124549\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/job\/litigation-roles-bermuda-and-cayman-islands-124549\/\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"card__title\">Litigation roles &#8211; Bermuda and Cayman Islands<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">We have been briefed on some exciting Insolvency and Litigation opportunities with a leading offshore international firm in Bermuda dn the Cayman Islands. The roles will advise on all aspects of litigation and dispute resolution with particular emphasis on contentious insolvency, creditor and shareholder remedies, general commercial litigation, and contentious trust litigation. Qualified Irish and [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list meta-list--icons\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">Posted 3 days ago<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card__read-more\">Read more<\/p>\n\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card--job post-124544 job_listing type-job_listing status-publish hentry job_position_featured\" id=\"block_43fc8c6b79fbe9e6a8fdaccdf58447d7-job-124544\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/job\/corporate-ma-roles-cayman-islands-and-bermuda-124544\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_contract\">Permanent<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"card__title\">Corporate M&amp;A roles &#8211; Cayman Islands and Bermuda<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">We have been briefed on some very exciting Corporate opportunities with leading firms in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. The roles will involve advising on a wide range of corporate matters, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, continuations and discontinuations, public equity markets and equity capital raising, shareholders&#8217; agreements and joint ventures and corporate [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list meta-list--icons\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">Posted 3 days ago<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card__read-more\">Read more<\/p>\n\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card--job post-124518 job_listing type-job_listing status-publish hentry\" id=\"block_43fc8c6b79fbe9e6a8fdaccdf58447d7-job-124518\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/job\/legal-counsel-124518\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_industry\">Telecommunications<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag card__tag--srgroup_job_contract\">Permanent<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"card__title\">Legal Counsel<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">Legal Counsel | 4-7 PQE | London Our client is seeking a commercially minded Legal Counsel to join its high-performing in-house legal team. This is a broad commercial role offering exposure to complex customer contracts, strategic projects and wider business-facing legal work within a fast-growing, infrastructure-led organisation. The successful candidate will work closely with senior [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list meta-list--icons\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">Posted 4 days ago<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card__read-more\">Read more<\/p>\n\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<!-- Banner -->\n\n\n<div class=\"hs-cta-embed hs-cta-simple-placeholder hs-cta-embed-274773364927\"\n  style=\"max-width:100%; max-height:100%; width:260px;height:520px\" data-hubspot-wrapper-cta-id=\"274773364927\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-eu1.hubspot.com\/web-interactives\/public\/v1\/track\/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLLpyHBn4THqZryjLePpd0VoQqyl5krae%2B%2FfwPOiPtQLZRMTHTsta71udlEB21txg%2Bl7OSU4UpzrriDOlNodZgPZwO6brr5jDZxDtVJaksExRdZWoKEOPBzmhNqe03ClLEoUy1C5J5eM6iYX9cZRwUrOAHp%2FNCkjL3ky%2B5dHs%2B0IeK4QEaPc11kDvBC2yirNGU6fCX4hUaoGUte0R4LkSq9b%2B4FrH1i%2BrftjdlFKNzprYqiuBh4ns87DJw%3D%3D&#038;webInteractiveContentId=274773364927&#038;portalId=26669168\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"TR_GLO_2026_in-house_report_web-banner_Global-new\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com\/cta\/default\/26669168\/interactive-274773364927.png\" style=\"height: 100%; width: 100%; object-fit: fill\"\n      onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" \/>\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"hd-block hd-block-posts is-template-grid alignwide\" id=\"block_b0e81cc71fd72d74d109d1bf2f8cf400\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"eyebrow-group\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"hd-block-job__title is-style-eyebrow eyebrow-group__title\">Featured Content<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-arrow eyebrow-group__button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"hd-block-posts__button button wp-block-button__link eyebrow-group__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/resources\/\">See all<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"cards cards--posts\">\n\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"card card--post post-123642 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-finding-talent category-hiring-advice category-us tag-new_in-house-hiring-advice hd_author-jon-coles hd_author-joncoles\" id=\"block_b0e81cc71fd72d74d109d1bf2f8cf400-job-123642\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/hiring-advice\/how-in-house-legal-teams-in-the-us-energy-sector-are-adapting-to-regulatory-complexity\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"card__image-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-507118706-300x225.jpg\" class=\"card__image\" alt=\"Two male colleagues discuss work at a laptop\" sizes=\"(max-width: 481px) 100vw, (max-width: 599px) 50vw, (max-width: 1240px) 33vw, 370px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-507118706-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-507118706-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/GettyImages-507118706-768x576.jpg 768w\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag\"><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"card__title\">How in-house legal teams in the US energy sector are adapting to regulatory complexity<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">July 28, 2026<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">Contents Share Key insights Large-scale energy projects have always been complex.&nbsp;&nbsp;What is changing is how early, and how extensively, legal teams are now involved in shaping whether those projects can move forward.&nbsp; From permitting and environmental compliance to project finance, stakeholder management and major commercial agreements,&nbsp;in-house counsel recruitment&nbsp;is evolving as lawyers become involved much earlier [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card--post post-118233 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-in-house category-us tag-new_in-house-hiring-advice tag-new_in-house-market-insights\" id=\"block_b0e81cc71fd72d74d109d1bf2f8cf400-job-118233\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/market-insight\/in-house\/the-role-of-venture-capital-in-north-americas-energy-transition-and-the-impact-on-legal-hiring\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"card__image-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design-4-300x225.png\" class=\"card__image\" alt=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 481px) 100vw, (max-width: 599px) 50vw, (max-width: 1240px) 33vw, 370px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design-4-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design-4-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design-4-768x576.png 768w\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag\"><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"card__title\">The role of venture capital in North America\u2019s energy transition &#8211; and the impact on legal hiring<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">March 20, 2026<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">We\u2019ve already discussed how the North American energy transition and&nbsp;AI driven&nbsp;infrastructure will reshape legal hiring, but what role does venture capital (VC) play in this scenario? VC has become a central force accelerating North America\u2019s energy transition, transforming research breakthroughs into commercial energy solutions. Global clean\u2011energy investment reached record levels in 2024 and continued rising [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card card--post post-116130 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-in-house category-market-insight category-us hd_author-johnspinosa\" id=\"block_b0e81cc71fd72d74d109d1bf2f8cf400-job-116130\">\n\n\t<a class=\"card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/market-insight\/why-us-in-house-legal-departments-are-restructuring\/\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"card__image-wrapper\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Detail_Group-sharing-ideas-around-table_iStock-669888014-300x225.jpg\" class=\"card__image\" alt=\"Businesswoman with diary and pen by colleagues\" sizes=\"(max-width: 481px) 100vw, (max-width: 599px) 50vw, (max-width: 1240px) 33vw, 370px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Detail_Group-sharing-ideas-around-table_iStock-669888014-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Detail_Group-sharing-ideas-around-table_iStock-669888014-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Detail_Group-sharing-ideas-around-table_iStock-669888014-768x576.jpg 768w\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"card__tags\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__tag\"><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"card__title\">Why US in-house legal departments are restructuring in 2026: key themes emerging across industries<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<ul class=\"meta__list\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"card__published-date meta__item\"><span class=\"meta__item-label\">Posted<\/span> <span class=\"meta__item-value\">March 4, 2026<\/span><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card__content\">In-house legal departments across the United States are entering a period of structural change. While cost pressure and regulatory complexity are not new, the pace and nature of change heading into 2026 is different. In-house legal teams are being asked to move faster, operate closer to the business, and support increasingly complex risk environments with [&hellip;]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shifts in deal activity, developments in artificial intelligence and evolving compensation expectations are influencing how companies hire in the United States. Recent insights from Jon Coles and John Spinosa highlight how legal teams are preparing for 2026, what skills are becoming more sought after and how both employers and candidates can adapt to a fast-moving [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":627,"featured_media":113226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"templates\/post-original.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cn_metabox_post_checkbox_dont_send_once":false,"_cn_metabox_post_checkbox_dont_send_ever":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,40,67,438],"tags":[602],"hd_author":[],"class_list":["post-113184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-house","category-market-insight","category-us","category-video","tag-new_in-house-hiring-advice"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/627"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113184"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113184\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113184"},{"taxonomy":"hd_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srgroup.highrise.digital\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hd_author?post=113184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}