Evolving demand for legal services in the US

As political and global market pressures intensify, demand for legal services is shifting towards integrated legal, lobbying and public affairs support.

As we conducted research for the Chambers USA Guide 2026, law firm clients and attorneys in the Government Relations space spoke to us about the impact the changing administration and its policies and the volatile geopolitical environment had on the demand for legal services in the US. Uncertainty has been perhaps the most important, sustained driver of demand.

Chambers USA 2025 research taking place before and after the November 2024 election saw, demand for legal services marked by the uncertainty of the contest and the transition period between administrations. Chambers USA 2026 research, running from July 2025 to February 2026, found that the market was more stable, but that the environment remains complex.

Between Chambers USA 2025 and 2026, demand growth slowed from 55% to 39% as market conditions changed. Down overall year on year, demand growth remains considerable, and political disruption has reshaped where and how clients seek legal advice.

The immediate effect of political change on demand for legal services

The change of administration in 2025 heralded an increase in regulatory uncertainty and a period of transition shock. High uncertainty was accompanied by reactive client behavior. Shortly afterwards, the introduction of new international trade tariffs, and subsequent adjustments, created ongoing policy instability.

Clients were forced to rapidly adapt to meet these challenges.

“Every business is now on alert… rewriting everything… tariff war.” 

Chambers USA 2026 Guide respondent

During this early phase of the administration, legal work was being driven by trade regulation, compliance, and strategic advisory. The disruption that was encountered by clients triggered immediate spikes in advisory and regulatory work, particularly in relation to executive actions.

The rise of integrated law firm lobbying services

As the administration has worn on, clients are increasingly seeking multi-disciplinary support. More than pure technical excellence, they demand legal advice, lobbying, and experience of engaging in public affairs.

“A combination of… legal counsel, lobbying and public affairs.”

Chambers USA 2026 Guide respondent

In the new environment, clients are increasingly drawn to firms that offer a strong mix of disciplines. More than just traditional government relations offerings of bipartisan access to committees and policy makers, they want firms with strong lobbying services who are able to move the needle.

The combination of lobbying and public affairs work with strong government relations pointed to the need to maintain access to the Hill despite the executive dominating headlines.

“Connections … bipartisan usually… professional staff on committees of jurisdiction.”

Chambers USA 2026 Guide respondent

Integrated legal services are crucial to dealing with increasingly complex matters, helping to explain why large firms are gaining an advantage. That’s not to say that boutique firms are shut out. Chambers’ research found that specialist boutiques are still competing effectively where deep political and governmental access is key.

We are seeing volatility driving a convergence between legal and political advisory services.

Into the stabilization phase

As clients got used to the new normal, government relations work shifted from reactive to strategic as the market entered a “managed uncertainty” phase. Political concerns receded slightly, with attention shifting to work on private capital and AI-related investment.

Politics may have become less of a headline issue, but policy changes continued to influence underlying demand patterns.

Geopolitics and government relations

As domestic politics settled into the new normal, high-profile international interventions in Venezuela and Iran led to cascading oil price and supply-chain shocks. The disruption to international shipping created material supply chain instability that is affecting a broad swathe of US industries.

Demand for legal services continued to evolve from the trade and sanctions work that had dominated the earlier part of the year. This time clients turned to law firms for assistance navigating rapid changes to geopolitical risk, international shipping, availability of materials, and significant swings in the capital markets.

High-value projects and political risk exposure

Uncertainty has not stifled industry, however. AI data center and energy projects experienced significant growth in demand, requiring enormous levels of funding and investment to deliver on an unprecedented scale.

“Data center space has got so big so fast… having $5bn on a single platform is scary – overconcentration risk.”

Chambers USA 2026 Guide respondent

Big players in the AI space are working to incredibly aggressive timelines to achieve their growth goals. For many, this means that cost has become of secondary importance to delivery.

“Blank cheques… get it built yesterday.”

Chambers USA 2026 Guide respondent

For law firms, work is becoming increasingly complicated. Factors like capital markets exposure, supply chain vulnerabilities and regulatory uncertainty require a deep, multi-disciplinary bench. Client demand for legal services means that firms are helping to structure large-scale finance deals and to manage risk in volatile conditions.

Instability, both domestic and global, is amplifying risk in high-value transactions, increasing demand for sophisticated legal counsel.

Outlook: a return to growth

If current trends continue, it is likely that there will be a further uptick in demand for legal services in 2027, especially in refinancing and restructuring work. Attention is likely to continue to shift between domestic political uncertainty and managing global market volatility in the second half of 2026 and beyond.

With Midterm elections on the horizon, domestic politics will remain influential in strategic decision making, but as part of a broader global risk ecosystem, driving activity within the legal sector. Clients are shifting away from managing short-term disruption that comes with a change of administration, to the effect of structural, global influence.

Firms able to offer top-tier services with expertise across domestic and international concerns and a platform able to incorporate lobbying work into traditional government relations practices stand the best chance of coming out on top. The need to anticipate geopolitical risk and keep pace with rapid changes in D.C. is an essential service clients will be looking for to meet their most complex needs.

Key takeaways

• Political uncertainty has reshaped, rather than reduced, demand for legal services in the US in the government relations space.

• The 2025 transition period drove immediate demand for regulatory, trade, compliance and strategic advisory support.

• Clients increasingly expect law firms to combine government relations advice with lobbying capability and public affairs insight.

• Demand has shifted from reactive crisis response towards strategic guidance in a phase of managed uncertainty.

• Geopolitical instability is expanding legal risk across trade, sanctions, supply chains, energy and infrastructure.

• Large-scale AI, data center and energy projects are increasing demand for sophisticated, multi-disciplinary legal counsel.