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New Paragon Legal Research: Understanding Business Views of Legal Teams

Introduction

Paragon Legal has recently published a groundbreaking report titled Outside In: How Business Really Sees Legal in 2026, which sheds light on how legal teams are perceived by their corporate counterparts. This report is based on complementary surveys of 264 non-legal business leaders and 211 in-house legal professionals. The findings provide critical insights into the dynamics between legal departments and the broader business landscape.

Key Findings

Trust as a Cornerstone

A significant revelation from the report is that 65% of business leaders regard their legal teams as "trusted advisors". In contrast, only 6% of these leaders perceive legal as a strategic partner or business leader. Legal leaders, however, believe that their CEO views them as business leaders 32% of the time. This discrepancy highlights a potential gap that can be bridged for better alignment.

Alignment and Opportunities

Both legal professionals and business leaders scored strategic input at 4.0 out of 5.0, demonstrating common ground. However, speed of execution presents a notable area for improvement, with business leaders rating legal teams at 3.7 while legal teams rated themselves at 4.1. The normal constraints of legal engagement are emphasized by the fact that 52% of business leaders call on legal only when absolutely necessary, and 42% have proceeded without legal input, often believing it was unnecessary.

Trust Factors

The research highlights that important traits earning the trust of business leaders include availability (65%), understanding business objectives (63%), promptness (56%), and commitment to following through (55%). This underlines the need for legal teams to enhance their engagement strategies and align more closely with business objectives.

Tracking Influence

A notable statistic shows that the proportion of legal teams actively tracking their impact on business results has dramatically increased from 16% in 2025 to 41% in the current year. This growth indicates a rising awareness and appreciation for the role that legal plays in larger business operations.

Flexible Legal Talent

The report also discusses how the utilization of flexible legal talent is becoming increasingly essential. Among those surveyed, an impressive 93% of legal professionals reported using flexible legal resources, with a forecasted increase to 80%. This shift signifies a transformation in how legal departments are structuring their teams to adapt to changing workloads and demands.

Moving Forward

Trista Engel, CEO of Paragon Legal, states that the legal teams have built a trusted relationship with their business partners. The critical next step is to strengthen this trust into greater strategic influence by enhancing collaboration, increasing transparency, and connecting legal contributions with key business outcomes. This approach promises not just to reinforce the legal position but also to ensure that legal teams can provide proactive support as strategic partners in business.

Conclusion

The Outside In report offers insightful questions and prompts for legal teams, aiming to foster productive discussions with business colleagues to identify opportunities for improved alignment and cooperation. With featured insights from notable leaders across various industries, the findings promise to serve as an invaluable resource for legal and business professionals alike.

For comprehensive insights and the full report, you can download it for free here.

About Paragon Legal

Paragon Legal is renowned for offering companies top-notch legal talent solutions, aligning with their evolving needs and empowering attorneys to achieve both their professional and personal aspirations. Learn more about their services at www.paragonlegal.com.