New research shows corporate leaders actively rely on legal insight to guide business decisions, build relationships, and evaluate outside counsel, with AI playing a growing role
SAUSALITO, Calif. and NEW YORK, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- JD Supra and LIMELIGHT today released a new benchmarking report, "Trust, Relevance, and AI," offering a detailed look at how corporate counsel and business leaders are using law firm thought leadership and how those behaviors are evolving as artificial intelligence becomes part of the research process.
Based on responses from nearly 200 C-suite executives and in-house counsel, the report points to a clear and timely reality: decision-makers are regularly consuming legal insight and they are acting on it.
"The audience for this content is not hypothetical. It's active, engaged, and making decisions," said Kenny Gary, CEO and co-founder of LIMELIGHT. "What stands out in this report is how consistently readers reward clarity, relevance, and practical guidance with real business outcomes."
Sixty-one percent of respondents say thought leadership has influenced their selection of outside counsel, with 27% reporting they have directly hired a firm based on its published analysis. At the same time, more than 80% engage with legal content at least weekly, signaling a sustained and highly attentive audience.
"The report shows that clients distinguish between content that informs and content that serves," said Eric Greenberg, EVP and General Counsel at Cox Media Group. "The former fills inboxes, while the latter builds trust — and eventually, relationships. The choice is between information spam that becomes noise and thought leadership that stands out with relevance and value."
The findings also highlight a shift in how that content is discovered. Most respondents report using AI as a starting point, then clicking through to evaluate the original, human-authored content behind the answer. AI is accelerating discovery while reinforcing the importance of credible, well-positioned expertise. "In an era of AI-driven discovery, the firms that prioritize clarity and direct relevance will be the ones that earn, and keep, the attention of the C-Suite," said Adrian Lürssen, co-founder at JD Supra.
Respondents were clear about what earns their attention. Content that connects legal developments directly to business impact — what it means now, and what to do next — consistently outperforms general updates or abstract analysis.
"Using this data to know what to write, how to write it, and where to place it is what truly separates content in a crowded marketplace of ideas," said M. Ashraf Lakhani, Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer at Porter Hedges LLP.
Taken together, the findings point to a more intentional and discerning reader — one who is actively seeking insight, evaluating sources, and forming relationships long before a formal hiring decision is made.
Key Findings: A Clear Path to Influence
- A captive audience: over 82% of corporate leaders consume legal thought leadership at least weekly, with 13% dedicating more than 10 hours per week to staying informed.
- Content that converts: the most valued content focuses on assessing legal risk (56%) and providing actionable takeaways (52%). Conversely, leaders expressed frustration with self-promotional content and "legalese" that cannot be shared internally.
- Thought leadership as a relationship engine: 72% of respondents save useful content, and 69% subscribe for more — signaling ongoing engagement beyond a single read.
- Clarity drives trust: 75% cite clear, understandable writing as a primary reason they trust a firm's expertise.
- AI supports but does not replace human insight: Nearly 70% use AI responses to begin research. Most verify sources and review original materials before acting.
- The death of the trophy?: Meaningful, relevant thought leadership is now cited by 66% of respondents as a primary trust-builder, while traditional industry awards and rankings were valued by only 15% of respondents.
Gary and Lürssen will lead a deep dive into the survey results at the 2026 Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Conference in New Orleans on April 20. The panel will feature Eric Dodson Greenberg, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Cox Media Group, and Oyango Snell, President and CEO of CLOC (Corporate Legal Operations Consortium).
The full report, including specific strategic takeaways for law firm marketing and business development teams, is available here.
About JD Supra
JD Supra is a daily source of need-to-know intelligence on professional and personal matters distributing content to over 750,000 subscribers, including updates, alerts, news analysis, blog posts, videos, and written commentary by leading business experts.
Readers include in-house counsel, business leaders, reporters, editors, and anyone else trying to make sense of regulations and related issues that define their profession, marketplace, or industry. Professionals and B2B businesses use JD Supra to showcase expertise and market their services to a targeted audience via opt-in email subscriptions, social media channels, news partnerships, and additional forms of visibility. Contributors include over 70,000 attorney writers from some of the world's leading law firms. Visit jdsupra.com to learn more.
About LIMELIGHT
LIMELIGHT is a strategic communications and marketing agency dedicated to the legal, technology, and professional services sectors. Led by former journalists and lawyers with deep experience across legal, financial, and professional services and the tech companies that fuel them, LIMELIGHT helps firms build brand authority and achieve sustainable growth through creative storytelling and industry expertise.
Based in New York, the agency offers a full range of growth communications services, including strategic planning, media relations, crisis communications, litigation PR, content development, survey research, digital marketing, and creative services. Learn more at www.limelightgrowth.com.
Media Contact
Emily Bricker, LIMELIGHT, 1 619-980-6425, [email protected], limelightgrowth.com
SOURCE LIMELIGHT
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