Q2 2026
This Q2 2026 report tracks in-house legal moves within law firms between April and June 2026. The focus is on professionals working inside law firms’ own internal functions rather than fee-earning lateral moves or general corporate in-house appointments.
Q2 2026 was a quieter quarter, with 22 moves recorded, down from 50 in Q1 2026 and 32 in Q2 2025. However, the market did not stop. Activity became more concentrated, with movement focused around AI and innovation, commercial/data protection, conflicts, leadership and risk.
The leadership moves included two notable General Counsel appointments: Emma Williams joining Simmons & Simmons as General Counsel, Partner from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and Claire Larbey joining Kennedys as Global General Counsel from Trowers & Hamlins.
The key story is therefore not simply a fall in volume, but a narrowing of activity around the internal functions most closely linked to law firms’ future operating models.
Moves by quarter
The fall from Q1 2026 is significant. Q1 recorded 50 moves, so Q2 represents a reduction of more than half quarter-on-quarter. On a year-on-year basis, Q2 2026 was also lower than Q2 2025, which recorded 32 moves. The market has therefore clearly cooled from the more active period seen through parts of 2025 and the opening quarter of 2026.
However, this should not be read as a collapse in demand for internal law firm talent. A better interpretation is that Q2 was a consolidation quarter.
The past 18 months have seen considerable investment in law firms’ own in-house functions. After a period of active hiring, firms often pause to integrate new appointments, assess remaining gaps and decide whether the next hire should be senior leadership, operational support, specialist capability or internal progression.
Several factors may explain the quieter quarter. Q1 was an active period, so some firms may simply have spent Q2 embedding recent hires rather than adding further headcount. Budget discipline is also likely to have played a role, with firms approving only those internal roles with a clear and immediate business case.
There may also be some hesitation around team shape as firms assess how AI and automation will affect internal workflows. That does not reduce the need for people, but it may change the timing and type of roles being approved. Finally, this is a naturally lumpy market: internal law firm teams are small, and a handful of senior moves can materially affect the quarterly picture.
Moves by firm type
Activity by firm type in Q2 2026 was concentrated around Upper-Mid Market City and Magic Circle firms.
Upper-Mid Market City firms were the most active segment, with movement spread across Addleshaw Goddard, Bird & Bird, CMS, Fieldfisher, Pinsent Masons and Taylor Wessing. That spread is important: this was not a single-firm spike, but a broader pattern of targeted investment by firms that are large enough to face complex internal risk, conflicts, data and technology pressures, but may not have the same depth of infrastructure as the very largest global firms.
Magic Circle firms were also active, with moves at A&O Shearman, Freshfields and Linklaters. This points to continued investment in sophisticated internal legal, risk, commercial and innovation capability, albeit at a steadier pace than some previous quarters.
The clearest shift was the fall in Elite US activity. After a very active Q1, Elite US firms were much quieter in Q2, suggesting that some of the London infrastructure build-out seen earlier in the year may have been phase-based rather than a constant run-rate.
Overall, the firm-type data points to a selective market. Activity was not spread evenly across the sector; it was led by firms continuing to build the internal capability needed to manage a more complex law firm business.
Background of moves
Looking at the broader data shows that prior law firm in-house experience remains the strongest route into these roles. Candidates who already understand partner-facing advisory work, internal escalation, conflicts, risk appetite and law firm governance continue to carry an obvious advantage.
However, Q2 also shows that the market is not closed to private practice candidates. Seven movers came from private practice, representing almost a third of recorded activity. That is particularly notable in a quieter quarter and reinforces the sense that firms are becoming more open to fee-earners where their experience maps onto a specific internal need.
This is most apparent in areas such as AI and innovation, commercial contracts, data protection, knowledge, legal operations and certain conflicts roles. These are areas where law firms may need hybrid skill sets that do not always exist in the established law firm in-house candidate pool.
Traditional in-house movers remained a smaller part of the market, but still featured in Q2. Their relevance is likely to be strongest where they bring experience in data, technology, procurement, financial crime controls, operational governance or regulated environments.
Moves by seniority
The breakdown by seniority shows a market still weighted towards experience, but not exclusively towards the most senior end. Senior moves remained the largest category, reflecting the need for people who can advise partners, manage risk and operate with limited supervision.
The more interesting point is the strength of mid-level activity. With 7 mid-level moves recorded, Q2 suggests that some firms are beginning to build the layer beneath senior leadership, particularly in areas such as commercial/data protection, conflicts and innovation.
Junior movement, however, remained very limited. That likely reflects not just a weakness in entry-level pathways, but also the reality that lean internal teams often require a level of autonomy and experience that junior candidates may not yet have.
Promotions vs new hires
Q2 remained externally weighted, with 14 new hires compared with 8 promotions. That suggests firms are still going to market for specialist capability, particularly where internal pipelines are limited.
However, the promotion figure is still meaningful. It points to a maturing market in which law firm in-house teams are beginning to offer clearer internal progression, rather than relying entirely on lateral hiring. For firms, that matters from both a development and retention perspective: experienced law firm in-house candidates remain scarce, and visible progression is one way to keep them.
What’s being built within law firms’ in-house legal and risk departments
The functional breakdown of Q2 2026 is where the most important market story sits.
The quarter was highly concentrated. Almost all movement fell within six categories: AI and innovation, commercial/data protection, conflicts, leadership, risk and compliance. Several areas that had been active in previous quarters recorded no visible moves at all.
This does not mean those quieter functions have lost importance. Rather, it suggests that investment is currently flowing towards areas where law firms see immediate strategic need or emerging pressure within their own businesses.
The trend over time is particularly revealing. AI and innovation barely registered in the early part of the dataset, but is now one of the most active categories. Commercial/data protection has remained a steady source of activity, while conflicts continues to be resilient.
Q2’s functional mix shows that law firms are not simply doing less of everything. Activity has narrowed around internal roles linked to technology, commercial governance, conflicts and strategic risk.
AI and Innovation
AI and innovation was the most active category in Q2. Its continued strength, despite the quieter market overall, suggests that this is no longer an experimental area of internal law firm hiring. Firms are increasingly building capability around AI adoption, governance, workflow change and implementation.
These roles also explain some of the broader movement from private practice and knowledge backgrounds. The candidate pool is still forming, and firms often need people who can combine legal credibility with technology, process and stakeholder management.
Commercial and Data Protection
Commercial and data protection remained active, reflecting the growing internal legal needs of law firms as businesses. Client terms, supplier contracts, technology procurement, data protection, AI tools and cyber risk are now central operational issues for firms.
This is also one of the areas where private practice lawyers can be credible candidates, particularly where they have experience in technology, outsourcing, commercial contracts, IP or data protection.
Conflicts
Conflicts continued to be a resilient category. As firms become larger, more international and more complex, conflicts management becomes harder and more strategically important.
The role increasingly requires more than process knowledge. Strong conflicts professionals need legal judgement, commercial awareness and the ability to advise partners on sensitive client and business issues.
Leadership, Risk and Compliance
Leadership, risk and compliance were quieter than in some previous quarters, but they remain central to the market. The lower level of activity may simply reflect earlier investment in senior risk and compliance roles.
It is also worth noting that risk is increasingly spread across other categories. AI, commercial/data protection and conflicts roles all involve risk management, even if they are not labelled as pure risk or compliance roles.
Outlook
Q2 2026 looks less like a market retreat and more like a selective pause after an active Q1. Firms are still investing in their internal legal and risk functions, but approvals appear more focused on roles with a clear strategic purpose.
AI and innovation, commercial/data protection and conflicts are likely to remain active areas, particularly as firms continue to manage technology adoption, data risk, client terms and increasingly complex business acceptance issues. Financial crime may also re-emerge in future quarters, despite the lack of visible movement in Q2.
The seniority mix will be worth watching. Mid-level activity strengthened this quarter, but junior movement remained thin. If firms want sustainable internal teams, they will need to build clearer pathways below senior leadership.
Overall, Q2 was quieter by volume, but still informative. The market for in-house roles at law firms is becoming more selective, more specialised
Overall, Q2 was quieter by volume, but still informative. The market for in-house roles at law firms is becoming more selective, more specialised and more closely tied to the future operating model of the firm.
If you would like to discuss this report, consider your next steps, or hire for an in-house position within a law firm, please do get in touch.
List of in-house at law firms moves Q2 2026
Junior (NQ – 3PQE)
Emily Brownson has been appointed as Innovation Lawyer at CMS from their previous role as Associate (Commercial Real Estate) at Eversheds Sutherland.
Hannah Gamble has been promoted to In House Lawyer at A&O Shearman from their previous role as In House Legal Paralegal .
Mid-level (4PQE – 8PQE)
Michael Workman has been appointed as Senior Legal Counsel – GenAI, Emerging Tech, and Data at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer from their previous role as Associate at Steptoe LLP.
Callum Jordan has been promoted to Risk Associate at HCR Law from their previous role as Risk Solicitor .
Paul Scopacasa has been appointed as Conflicts Lawyer (Qualified in Australia) at Linklaters from their previous role as Associate at Clyde & Co.
Emma Yaltaghian has been promoted to Risk and Compliance Lawyer at Fieldfisher from their previous role as Associate .
Melissa Ayeltigah has been appointed as Commercial Lawyer at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP from their previous role as Legal Counsel at Amazon.
Laura Bradley has been appointed as Senior Conflicts Advisory Lawyer at Addleshaw Goddard from their previous role as Senior Risk Lawyer at Mishcon de Reya LLP.
Seb Butcher has been promoted to Senior AI Lawyer at Bird & Bird from their previous role as Senior Associate.
Senior (9PQE+)
Kate Macmillan has been appointed as Deputy Chief Privacy Officer at A&O Shearman from their previous role as Cyber Risk Advisory Lead, UK, US and EMEA at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
Evelyn Khoo has been appointed as Deputy Head of Risk at Taylor Wessing from their previous role as Head of Global Anti- Financial Crime Client Evaluation Team at Deutsche Bank.
Linda Ralli has been promoted to Head of Financial Crime and Business Conduct at Norton Rose Fulbright from their previous role as Risk & Compliance Counsel .
Matthew Johnson has been appointed as Senior Privacy (EU) & AI Lawyer at Pinsent Masons from their previous role as Senior Associate at Freeths.
Angharad Pereira-Rego has been promoted to Managing Lawyer – Business Acceptance at Freshfields from their previous role as Senior Business Acceptance Lawyer .
Kimberly Wells has been promoted to Managing In-house Counsel, Tech & Innovation at Bird & Bird from their previous role as Senior In-house Counsel.
Dominic Clark has been appointed as Practice Innovation Lead at Addleshaw Goddard from their previous role as Founder / Legal Consultant at Legal Studio Solicitors.
Roseanna Biggs has been appointed as Conflicts Lawyer at Charles Russell Speechlys from their previous role as Of Counsel at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.
Elen G has been appointed as Senior Privacy Lawyer at Freshfields from their previous role as Legal Counsel Privacy at PwC.
Jen O’Donnell has been promoted to Associate General Counsel at Paul Hastings from their previous role as Director, Risk & Compliance.
Emma Williams has been appointed as General Counsel, Partner at Simmons & Simmons from their previous role as Director of Risk & Compliance MLRO at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
Sharon Cunliffe has been appointed as Senior Legal Counsel Privacy & Data Governance at DLA Piper from their previous role as In-house Privacy & Data Lawyer at Pinsent Masons.
Claire Larbey has been appointed as Global General Counsel at Kennedys from their previous role as General Counsel at Trowers & Hamlins.
If you would like to discuss the market in more detail, or if you’d like to consider your career options, do get in touch with me directly.
