Study: Legal teams face mounting pressure from global regulations

Only seven per cent of organisations report full compliance across their global entities, according to the study by CSC, a provider of global business administration and compliance solutions.

CSC surveyed 350 general counsel (GCs) and senior legal professionals across Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific to examine how their teams navigate international expansion, regulatory pressure, and the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).¹ The findings appear in CSC’s latest report, General Counsel Barometer 2026: From Complexity to Control.

Most organisations report partial compliance, with over half (53 per cent) estimating they are 50–75 per cent compliant, and a further 35 per cent placing themselves between 76 per cent–99 per cent. This leaves just seven per cent of organisations reporting full compliance across all global entities.

GCs also report low confidence in addressing ongoing demands amid global expansion. More than two in five (44 per cent) say they aren’t confident in meeting data security requirements across jurisdictions. Meanwhile, 37 per cent report challenges in delivering consistent service globally, reflecting the increasing complexity of the regulatory environment. In addition, 47 per cent cite demands such as ultimate beneficial ownership as the biggest risk to legal operations in 2026.

“The pace of regulatory change is accelerating globally, with new frameworks emerging across multiple jurisdictions that increasingly overlap,” said Ian McConnel, chief legal officer at CSC. “From regulations like DORA [Digital Operational Resilience Act] and evolving AI frameworks to the expansion of beneficial ownership requirements, legal teams are being asked to manage growing complexity across every aspect of the business. That makes it significantly harder to maintain momentum and control.”

In response, upgrading technology and automation remains the top objective for legal teams in 2026, alongside consolidating service providers and improving data transparency. These responses signal a shift toward more centralised and consistent approaches to managing global entities.

Many are also adopting AI to support compliance and entity management, with 35 per cent already using it and a further 26 per cent piloting tools. However, they express concerns around the accuracy and reliability of AI-driven insights. Factors that slow the wider uptake of AI include the need for organised, high-quality data, the use of legacy systems, and regulatory uncertainty.

As complexity grows, organisations increasingly rely on external partners to maintain compliance across jurisdictions. More than four-in-five (83 per cent) respondents use multiple corporate service providers to meet differing country requirements, underlining the challenges of managing global operations across fragmented networks.

“For a long time, legal and compliance teams have focused on technology-driven transformation, but there is growing recognition that technology alone is not enough,” said Thijs van Ingen, global market leader at CSC. 

“The priority now is regaining control by improving data quality, creating a single source of truth, and finding the right balance between in-house teams and external partners. organisations that get this right will be better positioned to manage compliance and support growth.”