LexisNexis^® CounselLink^®
2026 Trends Report

The 13^th annual LexisNexis^® CounselLink^® Trends Report indicates the continued rise in outside counsel fees across practice areas and geographic regions. This year’s data (from actual invoices paid to law firms for work completed in 2025) reflects:

Big Law (~100 firms) commands 51.2% share of wallet, and they charge the highest rates, dominated by Mergers and Acquisitions and the effect of litigation.
Companies doing business in the United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore pay the highest partner rates across most practice areas.
In Employment & Labor, 27% of matters use Alternative Fee Arrangements, followed by Intellectual Property at 22%. Six practice areas barely reach the 8.3% average of AFA usage.

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