2026 Chief Legal Officers Survey Highlights CLO Role Shift

ACC Resource Library

Published January 29th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

The Association of Corporate Counsel has released its 2026 Chief Legal Officers Survey, detailing findings from 1,049 CLOs across 43 countries. The survey highlights the evolving role of CLOs as strategic business leaders and technology adopters amidst geopolitical shifts and the rise of AI.

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What changed

The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) has published its 2026 Chief Legal Officers Survey, based on responses from 1,049 CLOs in 43 countries. The report indicates a significant shift in the CLO role, moving from a specialized legal advisor to a key business strategist and technology leader, influenced by global geopolitical fluctuations and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. The survey covers CLO influence, skills development, legal technology adoption, and the regulatory environment.

This document serves as a benchmarking resource for in-house legal departments. While it does not impose new regulatory obligations, it provides insights into current trends and priorities for CLOs globally. Compliance officers may find value in understanding these evolving expectations for legal leadership, particularly concerning technology and risk management, to inform internal strategy and development.

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Benchmarking and Research Data

2026 ACC Chief Legal Officers Survey

January 29, 2026

By Association of Corporate Counsel Share
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Print In the 2026 legal landscape, the fundamental shift in the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) role from a specialized legal advisor to an essential business strategist and technology leader continues to accelerate. This is evident in the findings from ACC's global flagship survey of 1,049 CLOs across 43 countries, which provide a comprehensive view of how legal leaders are navigating a global environment marked by geopolitical fluctuation and the rapid ascent of artificial intelligence. Amid these and other disruptions, CLOs have been stalwarts of enterprise resilience, balancing a dual mandate of driving strategic growth while managing increasingly sophisticated risks.

Download Key Findings

The survey covers the CLO role and executive influence, skills development, legal technology and AI, and regulatory environment, among other topics.

Additionally, we offer a suite of regional supplements that compare the results of CLOs in the following regions to the global findings, highlighting the key differences and similarities to help CLOs in these jurisdictions benchmark their roles, priorities, and strategies against global trends.

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