7%

of respondents expect the numbers of disputes in 2024 to either stay the same or increase

only

only

Top disputes presenting risk in 2024

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81%

of respondents expect the numbers of disputes in 2024 to either stay the same or increase

81%

of respondents are concerned about an internal or external investigation in 2024.

16%

of respondents expect the numbers of disputes in 2024 to either stay the same or increase

73%

52%

ESG
EMPLOYMENT
 

The Year Ahead

Global Disputes Forecast 2024

Against a backdrop of economic stagnation and geopolitical conflict, businesses are preparing for a challenging year. Global disputes will continue at pace, according to insights from more than 600 senior lawyers at large corporations, with ESG and employment risks the greatest areas of concern.
Our seventh annual report provides detailed analysis of disputes trends, as well as sectoral and region-specific developments, to prepare your organization for The Year Ahead
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The big picture​

Wider global trends are influencing the disputes landscape

Economic stagnation

The OECD forecasts global growth to slow to 2.7% in 2024, well below the historical average. Many corporate transactions have been postponed.

Geopolitical conflict

There is continued tension between Russia and NATO, conflict in the Middle East, and competition between China and various Western nations. We are also seeing rising trade protectionism.

AI revolution

2023 was a breakout year for generative AI, with McKinsey forecasting gen AI to add up to USD 4.4 trillion annually to the global economy. AI will improve the way lawyers work – but it will also drive disputes

Key issues

ESG
EMPLOYMENT
CYBERSECURITY AND DATA
TAX
POST-M&A
What, if any, types of environmental disputes present a risk to your organization in 2024? (Sample: respondents who identified environmental disputes as a risk)
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ANTITRUST
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of organizations say that ESG disputes will be a risk to them in 2024. Recent years have seen a flourishing of ESG laws and regulations, many with extraterritorial effect.

Key issues

AI has use in many areas of disputes, including research, analysis, discovery, drafting, prediction and decision-making. In 2024, AI will be more common in research and drafting
We will see disputes arising from AI in areas such as intellectual property, data privacy, fraud, ethics, mistake, and categorization (how AI fits within existing legal frameworks).
The coming year will see continuing debate about how – and when – to regulate. Economies around the world are preparing AI legislation, including the US, the EU, China and India.
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Insights by sector & region

sector
region
Overall, do you expect to see the number of disputes in 2024 increase, decrease or stay the same as compared to this year (2023)?
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Join our webinar series
We invite you to join us for a series of webinars across ESG, employment and cybersecurity that will provide a practical and actionable way forward in 2024.
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Key resources

Download our full report
Download the report to learn more about the key trends and sectoral and region-specific developments to prepare your organization for The Year Ahead.
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