Legal

Saudi Arabia's in-house legal market remains active, but hiring is noticeably more selective than in previous years. Rather than growing teams, most organisations are focused on strengthening legal, compliance and governance capability within leaner structures.

Demand is strongest for commercially minded lawyers who can handle contracts, corporate governance, regulatory matters and business partnering responsibilities without relying on large support teams. Employers are increasingly prioritising versatility and sector expertise over narrow specialisation.

Regulatory change continues to drive hiring. In financial services, firms are investing in legal and compliance talent to strengthen governance, risk oversight and regulatory compliance. In pharmaceuticals and healthcare, demand remains steady for professionals with experience navigating product, promotional, data privacy and ethics-related regulations.

Governance & Compliance has been one of the most resilient hiring areas, particularly for professionals with experience implementing governance frameworks, managing investigations, third-party risk and internal controls within regulated industries.

At the senior level, General Counsel and Head of Legal appointments are focused on leaders who can influence boards, manage legal risk effectively and deliver practical commercial advice. Compensation remains strong, but employers are paying a premium for relevant Saudi market experience rather than tenure alone.