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RFPs Are Surging, But Not All Are Productive

By Trudy Knockless
January 01, 2026

Formal requests for proposals for in-house legal work are surging in popularity, but their effectiveness still comes down to whether legal teams are using them strategically — or just filling out spreadsheets.

After years of buzz about legal cost control and preferred provider panels, the rise in RFP usage among Fortune 500 legal departments is finally translating into volume. According to legal search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa, the number of legal RFPs it received from clients rose by 42% between 2024 and mid-2025, with about a quarter of those tied to interim or contract work.

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