Reports & Guides

2026 Legal BUDGETING Report

The Value Transformation: How Global In-House Teams Are Evolving Legal Budgets to Become Strategic Business Partners

Enterprise legal teams are turning to value-based budgeting to accelerate their transformation from risk management cost centers into strategic business partners. 

Download the 2026 Legal Budgeting Report and discover exactly what the leaders are doing differently and how you can accelerate your transformation to value.

This report reveals findings from our comprehensive global survey of over 500 General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Deputy General Counsel, and Chief Financial Officers across eight countries including the U.S., UK, Germany, and APAC regions.
September 8, 2025

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49%

of legal departments transformed their budgeting models in the past 12 months, with another 36% planning changes in 2026

78%

are mandated to implement AI without dedicated budgets, forcing teams to raid existing resources while trying to transform operations

41%

would switch from law firms to ALSPs at just 30% cost savings, yet only 36% have formal policies to capture this value

89%

of legal leaders rate CFO relationships as excellent, but a 18-point authority gap undermines strategic collaboration

Get Axiom's New Legal Budgeting Report

Discover how 500+ global legal and finance leaders are navigating the journey from cost center to value creator with mature budgeting frameworks, strategic ALSP integration, and proven approaches to demonstrating measurable business impact.

Interested in past editions? See how insights have evolved over time. View all Budgeting Reports

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