Hiring in Legal: Cost concerns influence workforce management and hiring

Hiring slowed in 2025 as markets were racked by ambiguity, with this downtrend expected to persist heading into the new year.

"The impact from geopolitical events was clear from the start of the year. Many multinational corporations adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to see if business conditions would improve, which affected recruitment timelines," relates Suchanasa Nantanapramoth, Senior Principal Consultant at Robert Walters Thailand.

Tensions from US tax tariffs and a change in government rocked markets, accelerating the economic slowdown. Large local corporations were also more cautious in their hiring, replacing senior positions with mid-level roles to save costs. Overall, bonuses and increments were smaller compared to previous years.

Read on to find out more about the labour market and hiring trends for Thailand’s Legal & Corporate Governance professionals in 2026.

Smaller teams, bigger job scopes

As trade tensions persist and with Thailand’s national elections set to take the stage, hiring sentiments are expected to remain weak as businesses struggle through uncertainties.

Companies now need to work with leaner headcounts. Therefore, employers will look for multiple fields of expertise and a willingness to be hands-on. Professionals who can cover extended or regional remits will be in demand. Legal talent who can cover compliance, with extended experience in matters around Stock Exchange Thailand (SET), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Bank of Thailand (BOT), will be highly priced on the market. As support teams shrink, legal management must now get involved with executional work beyond simply setting strategy.

There will be demand for commercial, front-office roles as companies look to increase revenue. Lawyers in law firms will face increased pressure to bill, while in-house lawyers can expect deeper involvement in business development projects.

Hiring within the Thai listed companies and digital assets sectors remains healthy, with more new roles expected in the coming year.

Top roles and skills for 2026

Many Thai-listed businesses are traditionally family-run, but are now evolving to include professional management teams. To uplift business performance and culture, these companies will look for heads of legal to form part of the core team that will lead the company through its next growth phase.

Heads of compliance are in demand across all sectors. These candidates will be tasked with mitigating dispute risk and ensuring adherence to compliance frameworks.

Legal managers are always in demand, but Suchanasa foresees that hiring teams will look for more middle management talent, as these candidates contribute well but cost less to hire than senior-level professionals. Mid-Senior Associate roles are also in demand, as they offer strong technical capability while remaining cost-efficient for businesses.

Cost concerns and the rocky economic climate make adaptability and a commercial mindset some of the most valuable qualities a professional can have. As Suchanasa puts it:

Companies want legal and compliance professionals who show team spirit and can support business growth as it navigates ever-changing market conditions.

Industry professionals are less vulnerable to integration with AI, but headcounts may get smaller over time as technology speeds up tasks like research, and drafting for commercial contracts and advisories. Professionals should hone their strengths in commercial negotiation and involve themselves in business-oriented tasks to secure their position in the industry.

Be transparent to assure talent

“Professionals are worried about business stability within this economic slowdown. If they do move jobs, they do so with great care and lots of preparation. Those who act more quickly tend to have suffered from redundancies, or have concerns about their current company’s performance,” says Suchanasa.

In current market conditions, openness and clear communication matters more than ever in talent attraction and retention. Companies who can confidently chart a path forward and align employees towards it stand a better chance at drawing and keeping talent.

Wage growth remains unchanged

In 2026, salaries are expected to grow at the same rate as the year before, with the exception of popular roles in areas like compliance or digital assets.

Find out more

Request access to our 2026 Salary Survey to benchmark salaries and to find out more about key hiring trends in the Legal & Corporate Governance industry in Thailand.