Over the past year, my colleagues and I have spoken with dozens of in-house legal leaders across sectors, company sizes and stages of growth. A clear trend has emerged: in-house legal strategy is under pressure to evolve.
In-house legal teams are being asked to step up. They’re expected to be more visible, more strategic, and more commercially fluent, often without a corresponding increase in resource or structure to support that evolution.
It’s not that in-house legal functions are falling short. It’s that expectations have outpaced the systems that were built for a different time.
That’s what led BARBRI to commission the Inside In-House Legal Talent Outlook 2025, in partnership with Flex Legal. Together we wanted to understand how legal teams are managing capacity, developing talent, and preparing for the future. Drawing on the views of over 120 legal professionals across 12 sectors, the report paints a picture of today’s talent challenges, the trends on the horizon, and the steps teams are already taking to adapt.
Where we are and what’s getting in the way
One theme that came through louder than any other is capacity.
It was the top concern for 70% of respondents – above hiring, retention or skills gaps. The data painted a clear picture:
The data painted a clear picture:
- Only 16% of teams have a structured learning and development framework
- Just 30% said they had visibility over their current capability gaps
- And 69% use flexible legal support, most do so reactively
- 37% support SQE qualification and only 18% offer apprenticeships, improving access means going beyond this to open up alternative pathways and retain junior talent.
Teams aren’t short on willingness – they’re under pressure. And when time runs out, talent development is usually the first thing to drop off the list.
Legal leaders face a growing tension: expectations keep rising, but the resources don’t follow. This isn’t only about workload – it’s about leadership.
What some teams are doing differently
Not every team will have the budget or bandwidth to build a full talent strategy and that’s totally understandable. But some are finding ways to move the dial.
What stood out was that the teams that take deliberate, targeted steps – whether giving clearer progression pathways, using flexible resourcing strategically, or opening alternative qualification routes – were the ones thriving.
Some teams are giving their people clearer visibility about what progression looks like. Meanwhile, other teams are using flexible legal resourcing not only to manage volume, but also to carve out headroom. This, in turn, gives their people the space to stretch into new responsibilities, work towards qualification, or step into more strategic roles.
And some are starting to open doors that wouldn’t have been open a few years ago – supporting qualification through the SQE, hiring apprentices, or promoting people with non-traditional legal backgrounds.
You won’t always notice these changes from the outside, but they shape the culture from within. Signalling something important: a willingness to design for the future, rather than default to the past.
You don’t need a perfect plan, just a clear view
Most legal leaders aren’t looking for dramatic reinvention. They’re trying to make space for small but meaningful changes, the kind that can help a team stay healthy, engaged and focused under pressure.
That’s why we created the checklist you’ll find below. It’s not a framework, and it’s not a formula. It’s just a starting point – a way to take stock of where you are, and where there may be opportunities to evolve.
If it’s useful for your next team conversation, I hope it helps.
In-House legal talent health check
Eight questions worth asking in your organisation:
- Do we understand our team’s skills gaps – and how to close them through a clear competency framework?
- Do team members know what ‘good’ looks like – and have a framework to guide progression and self-development?
- Is our learning and development structured – and do we have a way to measure progress over time?
- Do we have clear visibility of workload – so we can use flexible resourcing strategically, not just reactively?
- Are we supporting alternative routes like the SQE and apprenticeships – as part of short, medium and long-term plans to grow future talent?
- Is DE&I embedded in how we recruit, develop and promote talent?
- What are our plans for actively building leadership, commercial and digital skills across the team?
- Do we have the tools and time to support wellbeing – especially during periods of pressure?
Looking ahead
I don’t believe there’s one model for what a modern in-house legal team should look like. But I do think there’s real value in creating space to reflect, and in asking the questions that too often get deferred when things are busy.
That’s what this checklist is for. It’s what the report was for. Hopefully it can help you or your team to think differently about what’s next, even in a small way.
Do reach out to us, we’d love to talk to you about your team’s needs and how we support you.
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