European CLOs are taking on more and more strategic leadership roles

The Association of Corporate Counselv (ACC), in collaboration with the global management consulting firm FTI Consulting, Inc. has published the European results of its 2026 Chief Legal Officers (CLO) Survey. It highlights how legal professionals across Europe are becoming key strategic partners as organizations face geopolitical instability, complex regulations and rapid technological change.

Now in its 27th year, the ACC CLO Survey sheds light on how senior legal leaders are adapting their roles and resources to respond to growing external risks and internal transformation pressures. The European annex draws on responses from CLOs across the region and compares their priorities with global trends. «This year's results for Europe confirm that the role of the CLO is no longer limited to legal risk management,» said Jason L. Brown, President and CEO of ACC. «European CLOs are deeply involved in business strategy, enterprise risk and ESG governance at a time when companies are facing unprecedented geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty. The data shows a profession moving decisively to the center of corporate decision-making.»

European CLOs gain better access to senior management and the board of directors

The survey shows a sharp increase in the influence of senior executives in European legal. A record 82 % of European CLOs now report directly to the CEO, up from 73 % last year and approaching the global average of 84 %. Board engagement has also increased, with 75 % regularly attending board meetings, compared to just 56 % in 2025.

European CLOs are much more likely than their global counterparts to take the lead or co-lead role:

• ESG strategy (48 % vs. 26 % worldwide)
• Enterprise risk management (83 % vs. 65 %)
• Advice on geopolitical risks (57 % vs. 41 %)

They increasingly define their impact in strategic terms, referring to contributions to corporate strategy and corporate culture that go beyond traditional legal functions.

AI adoption accelerates as Europe modernizes its legal departments

European legal departments are faster than the global average in adopting new technologies. Almost 62 % plan to implement new legal technologies in the coming year, and 77 % expect to deploy generative AI tools within the next 24 months.

While most CLOs do not anticipate major job cuts, they do expect the areas of work to evolve significantly. 72 % expect AI to fundamentally change legal work, with a focus on upskilling teams in technology skills, data analytics and legal innovation.

«European CLOs are not sitting idly by when it comes to AI,» says Sophie Ross, Global CEO of FTI Consulting's technology division. «They are prioritizing technological expertise and operational efficiency to meet increasing regulatory requirements and faster business cycles.»

Sanctions, ESG and investigations dominate regulatory issues

Europe's regulatory risk profile clearly stands out in the survey. European CLOs are almost three times more likely than their global counterparts to report this:

• the enforcement of sanctions as the most important concern (34 % compared to 13 %)
• the enforcement of ESG criteria (26 % compared to 14 %)

They also report a sharp increase in the complexity and cost of investigations. 45 % state that investigation costs have increased compared to the previous year, and 43 % cite greater complexity.

In response, 44 % have hired more compliance specialists, reflecting a trend towards deeper in-house expertise in regulatory and geopolitical risk management.

Resource pressure and geopolitical risks determine the priorities for 2026

Geopolitical instability is currently the biggest organizational risk for European CLOs. This was stated by 28 % of respondents, almost three times as many as worldwide. At the same time, European legal departments have fewer resources at their disposal. More respondents than the global average cited budget constraints (40 %) and skills shortages (23 %) as the biggest obstacles to success.

Despite these challenges, European CLOs are strengthening their strategic role. Two thirds cite strengthening their position as business partners as their most important focus for 2026, in addition to implementing technologies and increasing operational efficiency.