From Volatility to Cautious Optimism
For law firms looking to recruit and hire marketing talent, 2026 will be the year of tougher competition and higher expectations. In order to meet the demands of a highly sought-after talent pool, law firm marketing departments may be forced to re-examine how they think about hiring if they want to remain competitive.
Last year, we explored the growing demand for legal marketing talent and the phenomenon of rapid hiring and turnover among law firms. This year, according to five leading law firm marketing recruiters I interviewed—Eva Wisnik, Jason Caramanico, Hadleigh Katz, Ren Tucker and Sheri Guttman—the market is both more cautious and more intentional.
Eva described 2025 as a “strange year,” one where firms were essentially frozen for months. Uncertainty around the new administration, fluctuating tariffs and economic headlines led to paralysis, particularly in the first half. Yet when her team pulled the annual numbers, they discovered the proportion of marketing and BD roles they filled was nearly identical to 2024. “It felt like less,” she explained, “because the beginning of the year was so stalled out.”
Jason saw similar patterns. “Hiring in 2025 started out slower than expected. There were a few factors that contributed to this: the transition of power in DC, trade wars, interest rates remained elevated and mid-market M&A continued to slump. Hiring steadily picked up as the year progressed. The US economy is poised for growth in 2026 so we expect it to be a busy year for hiring law firm business professionals.”
But now that firms have rebalanced from the strangeness and confusion of 2025, 2026 looks far more decisive.
Strategic Growth Returns—With Intention
Firms are expanding their marketing and BD teams again, but not in the reactive way we saw during the post-pandemic surge. Growth is back, but this time it’s more strategic than urgent.
Hadleigh noted that many of her searches this year were tied to specific industry and practice priorities. “We’ve been adding new roles tied to strategic priorities—healthcare, white collar, M&A, private equity. It’s much more consultative than before.” Instead of filling vacancies with like-for-like roles, firms are stepping back and restructuring departments.
Ren sees this pattern most strongly in the largest firms: “The largest platforms continue to invest and expand in marketing, BD and comms.”
One of the most meaningful developments is the rise of client-facing BD roles. After years of debate about whether BD professionals should meet directly with clients, many firms have decided the answer is yes. Hadleigh shared that several firms, especially in the ECVC and private equity space, now expect BD professionals to be client-facing, attend events and bring back opportunities. “It’s still early,” she said, “but it’s absolutely increasing.”
Jason believes this change will stick. “Client relationship roles and account planning are the future. Once AI fully integrates into marketing teams, business development professionals who understand the client relationship—what really moves the needle—will be in a great position to add value.”
The Mid-Level Squeeze: Where Demand Outpaces Supply
If firms want to understand where the real pressure lies in 2026, recruiters all point to the same answer: the mid-level. These managers and senior managers are the backbone of marketing departments. They supervise junior staff, execute strategy, interpret partner requests and keep departments cohesive. They are also the hardest to recruit.
As Ren said, “There has consistently been greater need at the mid-levels than experienced talent available in the marketplace. We advise firms to adopt a learning curve mindset for capable professional-services candidates that can learn the practices and industries.” Jason added, “There continues to be incredible demand at the Manager and Sr. Manager level which has resulted in an ongoing talent war. I see this continuing for the foreseeable future.” Hadleigh noted that the senior manager and associate director titles, which rarely existed at firms a few years ago, have become some of her most frequent searches.
Mid-level professionals also know their worth. As Sheri put it, “If someone hasn’t been promoted in three years, they’re going to be seeking a new opportunity.” Promotion is no longer seen as a reward for patience, but as a signal that the firm recognizes and intends to develop its high performers.
Generalists vs. Specialists: A Widening Divide
Another structural shift is becoming harder to ignore: the widening divide between specialists in Big Law and generalists in midsize firms. In large firms, roles continue to become more niche, such as BD managers with expertise in particular practices or industries. In contrast, midsize firms want agility. “They want people who roll up their sleeves and are willing to help out,” Sheri explained.
This divergence is making the talent market more complex. As Hadleigh noted, true generalists are becoming harder to find because so many professionals have spent their careers inside highly specialized Big Law teams. Moving between environments now requires a deliberate shift in mindset. Midsize firms will need to be more open-minded if they want someone with big law firm expertise, but the people who are moving will need to be strategic about it.
Hybrid Work: The New Deal-Breaker
If there’s one factor that has become a true competitive differentiator, it’s hybrid work. The verdict from candidates is overwhelmingly consistent: three days in the office is acceptable, sometimes even welcome. Four or five days is not.
“Three days in the office is still the most common, however several firms have recently announced a four day requirement. This has motivated some to start exploring the market for more flexible in-office schedules,’” Jason told me. Sheri confirmed: “Absolutely, firms requiring five days are having a more challenging time finding talent.”
Eva has watched a widening philosophical divide. Several elite firms have moved to four days a week—a few have reinstated five—while midsize firms have held steady at two or three days and are using that flexibility as a recruiting asset.
Hybrid structure has evolved into a form of cultural shorthand. It reflects trust, empathy and a firm’s understanding of the realities its people navigate. Candidates now treat hybrid policies as part of the firm’s value proposition. In some cases, it’s the deciding factor.
Cross-Industry Hiring: Growing Pains and Outliers
Hiring from outside the legal industry has increased this year, particularly for senior roles. Ren described “an influx of leaders from PwC, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, Goldman Sachs.” Jason pointed to firms that hired CMOs from financial institutions, the Big Four and other large consulting firms.
The results are mixed. Jason admitted that law firm culture can be a shock to those from corporate and other professional services environments. There are examples where it has worked, but “many where it hasn’t.” Still, outside talent is finding success in industry-specific BD roles, revenue-facing positions and midsize firms where the transition can be less jarring.
New Leadership Pathways Emerge
Marketing and BD professionals are increasingly stepping into roles once reserved almost exclusively for lawyers or finance leaders. Practice management has become a meaningful next step for professionals who understand how practices operate and where opportunities to improve profitability exist.
“In legal marketing, most of the career advancement opportunities still reside within business development. In some instances, I have seen business development professionals move towards operations such as practicement management. We are also starting to see more CMOs elevate to the COO role,” Jason told me. Eva has also seen several midsize and boutique firms appoint former marketing leaders to COO or even CEO positions. “It’s the first time I’m really seeing this,” she said. Hadleigh added that firms are broadening their expectations for COO roles more generally: “If a firm already has a strong CFO, the COO might not need the same depth of finance experience as previously expected.”
These firms recognize that marketing and BD leaders bring a sophisticated understanding of growth, client relationships and internal dynamics—a combination that translates well to operational leadership.
AI’s Slow Burn
Despite the hype surrounding AI, recruiting tells a more grounded story. Not all firms are hiring for AI-specific roles in marketing yet. “So far, we have had one role focused specifically on AI,” Hadleigh said.
Still, expectations are shifting. Eva recently updated her firm’s marketing competency model, and AI literacy appears throughout the new framework. She summarized it simply: “People who know AI will replace people who don’t.”
Jason noted that AI will reshape workflows, but it has not replaced the need for human judgment, empathy and influence. The most insulated roles will be those centered on client relationships, strategy and profitability.
Law Firms Should Uplevel Their Recruiting
With the volatility of 2025 behind us, recruiters are cautiously optimistic about 2026. None anticipate a slowdown in hiring for marketing or BD roles. Jason expects more CMO movement after a relatively quiet 2025. Midsize firms appear especially well positioned to attract Big Law veterans who want more visibility, impact and flexibility.
However, firms that want to stay competitive will need to approach hiring with more speed, clarity and flexibility.
Speed can be crucial. Sheri noted that firms often lose their best candidates simply because they move too slowly. In today’s market, where strong mid-level talent receives frequent outreach, even a small delay can shift a candidate’s decision.
Flexibility also matters. Too often, firms screen out candidates who don’t match a narrow profile, only to realize weeks later that the perfect resumé might not exist. Hadleigh recommends a simpler approach: “Just talk to them. The firms that do are the ones that end up hiring them.” A conversation can reveal cultural fit, curiosity and leadership potential that a resumé can’t.
Clarity is another differentiator. Eva pointed out that firms that articulate their priorities and culture upfront navigate the hiring process more smoothly. Candidates want to understand how decisions are made, what leadership expects and how the role will evolve.
Finally, firms must protect their senior marketers from being overwhelmed by task work by hiring the right candidates. As Ren put it, “Free up your senior people for strategic work.”
The Talent Competition Is Heating Up
The market has found its rhythm. Hiring is back, expectations are higher and firms are building with intention rather than urgency. The question for 2026 isn’t whether demand will continue—it will. The question is whether firms can move fast enough to compete for the talent that will define their next chapter.
Even in strong hiring years, searches take time, especially for mid-level leaders, senior specialists or C-suite roles. Meanwhile, partners still need support, pitches still need to go out and teams still need guidance.
At CMO2go, we fill that gap. We step into senior roles on an interim basis to stabilize teams, manage strategy, support partners and maintain momentum until the right permanent hire is in place. In a market defined by movement and rising expectations, continuity matters more than ever.
If your firm is navigating a search and needs experienced leadership, we’re here to help.
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