Discover how Argentina’s legal departments are structured, what they prioritize, and where they are headed.
 

Corporate legal departments are undergoing a period of transformation that is already reshaping the way they work.

For its fifth edition, Marval presents a new study on the current state and future of legal departments in Argentina, based on responses from 109 legal leaders at companies operating in the country.

This one-of-a-kind study offers an up-to-date look at working dynamics and the trends transforming corporate legal practice. Now in its fifth edition, the report goes beyond a snapshot in time, making it possible to track how legal departments evolve. For example, AI adoption rose from 11% in 2023 to 95% in 2026, while the share of teams with up to ten members increased from 74% to 89% over the past year.
 

Key areas shaping legal department management in 2026

Increasing demands on teams, emerging technologies, and a role that is becoming ever more closely aligned with the business. 
 

Teams: Lean Structures, Broad Mandates

A total of 89% of legal departments have up to ten members, and seven out of ten maintained their team size over the past year. We explore how these teams respond to an ever-expanding agenda.
 

Legal’s Role in the Business

A total of 57% of chief legal officers participate regularly in committees or strategic decision-making, and nearly half report directly to the CEO. What does senior management expect from its legal department today?

Digitalization: Tools and Integration

Digital signatures are now widely adopted (87%), and contract management was the tool that saw the greatest growth compared with 2025. The challenge now is to integrate these tools into the department’s workflows.
 

Artificial Intelligence: From Individual Use to Process Integration

A total of 38% of legal departments already have approved AI applications for specific tasks. Human review and company-approved tools are the most widely adopted safeguards, while output accuracy and confidentiality remain the main concerns.

Purchasing External Legal Services

Technical excellence remains the leading selection criterion (63%), but 62% of respondents want less abstract analysis and more actionable recommendations.
 

Skills for the Years Ahead

Business acumen (78%) and AI and technology skills (71%) top the list of capabilities that legal leaders consider essential for in-house lawyers.
 

A Tool to Benchmark, Make Decisions, and Anticipate Trends

Beyond the data, the report is designed to serve as a practical reference tool.

It enables each legal leader to benchmark their department against their peers, identify emerging trends, and anticipate the challenges that will shape the future of the profession.
 

Download the report and discover the key findings of this edition.