Each week, the Law.com Barometer newsletter, powered by the ALM Global Newsroom and Legalweek brings you the trends, disruptions, and shifts our reporters and editors are tracking through coverage spanning every beat and region across the ALM Global Newsroom. The micro-topic coverage will not only help you navigate the changing legal landscape but also prepare you to discuss these shifts with thousands of legal leaders at Legalweek 2025, taking place from March 24-27, 2025, in New York City. Registration is now open.

The Shift: ‘Be Comfortable With the Uncomfortable’

The start of a new year often brings the traditions of reflection, resolutions and a renewed sense of purpose. For legal departments and their legal leaders, however, it also signals a time for predictions, horizon scanning and a touch of forward-looking speculation. While these practices are an annual staple, 2025 presents a distinct set of challenges. A new and somewhat unpredictable administration is shaping regulatory priorities, labor initiatives, and immigration policies—creating a dynamic landscape that may leave business leaders navigating uncharted waters with some uncertainty. But as Thomas Mattei Jr., CLO at Neiman Marcus said, this is the time to “be comfortable with the uncomfortable.