2026 Annual Litigation Trends

Norton Rose Fulbright’s annual litigation trends survey draws on insights from more than 400 US general counsel and in-house litigation leaders to reveal how corporations are navigating a changing litigation landscape. Conducted in September 2025, the survey examines evolving risk management strategies and cost control as organizations prepare for increased complexity.

Key findings include:

• Cybersecurity remains the dominant threat, with 38% of organizations reporting increased exposure in 2025 as sophisticated attacks and multijurisdictional privacy enforcement intensify.
• Employment and labor disputes persist as a top concern, ranking second among areas of increased exposure.
• The majority express growing concern about nuclear verdicts exceeding $10 million and thermonuclear verdicts surpassing $100 million, fueling larger settlement demands.
• Regulatory proceedings declined to 56% from 70%, but 82% report increased state enforcement activity stepping in to fill the gap.