The legal industry is changing fast. In-house legal teams are under pressure to do more with less, AI is reshaping how legal services are delivered, and the relationship between corporations and their outside counsel is being renegotiated in real time. If you are a legal operations professional, a procurement leader in a legal department, or an in-house counsel trying to make smarter sourcing decisions, one event is purpose-built for exactly this moment.
The 13th Annual Buying Legal Conference returns to New York City on September 29 and 30, 2026, and it is shaping up to be the most relevant edition yet.
Dates, Venue and Key Registration Details
The 2026 edition takes place on September 29 and 30, 2026, at 3 Times Square in New York City. The venue sits in the heart of Manhattan, in the same state-of-the-art office space used for last year’s conference. It is located steps from Broadway, Bryant Park, and Rockefeller Center, and it is shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s leading corporate legal departments. The conference space itself occupies a stunning 15th-floor venue with panoramic city views.
Registration is open now at buyinglegal.com. Early Bird pricing is available until July 31, 2026. Capacity is strictly limited, and the conference has sold out every year. Therefore, anyone planning to attend should register as early as possible rather than waiting until closer to the date.
Two ticket categories are available. In-house tickets are reserved for professionals working inside legal departments, including those in procurement, legal operations, and in-house counsel roles. These are for professionals tasked with buying legal services or legal technology for their organizations. Vendor-side professionals do not qualify for in-house tickets. Vendor tickets for the 2026 edition are already sold out. Organizations interested in participating from the vendor or law firm side should contact the organizers directly about sponsorship opportunities at sponsorship@buyinglegal.com.
What the Conference Is and Who It Is For
The Buying Legal Conference is organized by the Buying Legal Council, a membership organization dedicated to legal procurement and legal operations professionals. The council is chaired by Jason Winmill, who is a regular presence at the conference and actively shapes its agenda.
The event gathers legal procurement leaders, legal operations professionals, in-house counsel, law firms, and legal technology providers in one room. Through expert-led sessions, practical case studies, peer discussions, and structured networking, attendees gain insights that help their organizations make smarter decisions about legal sourcing, technology adoption, and legal spend management.
This is not a general-purpose legal conference. It has a specific audience and a focused purpose. The people in the room are the ones responsible for deciding which law firms get hired, which legal technology platforms get purchased, and how legal department budgets are managed. Additionally, it is one of the few conferences where those same professionals hear directly from peers at comparable organizations about what is actually working and what is not.
The 2026 Theme: Architecting Measurable ROI in Legal
The theme for both the New York and the EMEA London editions of the conference in 2026 is Architecting Measurable ROI in Legal. This theme reflects a growing demand from senior leadership for legal departments to demonstrate tangible returns on their investments in people, technology, and external legal services.
The topic lineup for 2026 includes several sessions that are directly shaped by this theme:
- From disruption-response to design-led legal departments
- Measuring ROI from AI and legal technology
- Managing cost escalation in legal departments
- The data and legal KPIs that matter now
- Evolving staffing and roles inside the legal department
- De-risking AI in legal operations
- Updated expectations for law firms and other outside partners
Each of these areas reflects a real challenge that legal departments of all sizes are grappling with right now. The shift from reactive cost-cutting to proactive design-led strategy is particularly timely. Legal departments are increasingly expected to operate with the rigor and intentionality of a business unit rather than simply as a support function.
Expert Speakers from Leading Organizations
The 2026 speaker lineup will be announced in the months ahead. However, based on past editions, attendees can expect to hear from senior legal professionals at major corporations, law firms, and legal technology companies.
Past speakers have included leaders from JPMorgan Chase, Disney, Novartis, Johnson and Johnson, GSK, Thomson Reuters, Priceline, Boston Scientific, U.S. Bank, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, DHL Supply Chain Americas, GEICO, and DLA Piper, among many others. These are not industry commentators or academics presenting theoretical frameworks. They are practitioners with direct responsibility for managing legal departments and legal spend at significant scale.
The conference also features contributions from legal technology and services sponsors including LexisNexis, Onit, Wolters Kluwer, PERSUIT, Axiom, Esquire Solutions, Brightflag, Litify, Priori Legal, Baker Donelson, Checkbox, and ArgoPoint. These companies play an active role in helping legal departments solve the problems being discussed on stage.
The EMEA Edition: London in November
For those based in Europe, the Buying Legal Council runs a separate EMEA edition each year in London. The 9th Annual EMEA Conference will take place on November 17 and 18, 2026, at the Dentons office at One Fleet Place in London. The venue is located in the heart of the UK’s legal and financial district.
The EMEA edition shares the same 2026 theme and covers many of the same strategic topics, adapted for the European legal market. Confirmed EMEA speakers include senior legal professionals from HSBC, GE Vernova, Jefferies, Standard Chartered Bank, Euroclear Group, Zurich Insurance, Klöckner Pentaplast, TD SYNNEX, FanDuel, Lloyds Banking Group, Syngenta, Marsh McLennan, EY, and VIVO, among others.
Additionally, the London event features academic voices such as Professor Steven Kelts, who lectures on AI and Ethics at Princeton University, and Dr. Jas Kalra, Assistant Professor of Operations Management at the University of Manchester. These perspectives add an important research dimension to the practitioner-heavy agenda.
Therefore, European-based legal professionals who cannot travel to New York in September have a strong alternative event available just two months later in a venue that is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious legal addresses in Europe.
Hotel Options and Practical Travel Information
For the New York conference, the organizing team has negotiated group rates at two hotels near the 3 Times Square venue.
The Hilton New York Times Square offers panoramic views, spacious rooms, and a special conference rate of $399 per night with the destination fee waived for BLC attendees. This rate is available until August 15, 2026, and can be booked through the official group booking link at book.passkey.com/go/BLC26. The hotel is a three-minute walk from Times Square and within easy reach of major landmarks including the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, Bryant Park, and Grand Central Station.
The Millennium Premier Hotel New York Times Square is a second option, currently undergoing a full renovation that delivers a refreshed and elevated experience. BLC attendees can book at a special rate of $299 per night with a waived destination fee, which includes a complimentary daily continental breakfast from the Premier Lounge. This rate is available through the official booking link on the conference registration page.
Both hotels are ideal bases for conference attendees who want to combine their two days at the event with additional time exploring New York City.
Why Attend in 2026 Specifically
Legal departments are at an inflection point. Generative AI is creating both genuine efficiency gains and new risks that are still not fully understood. Legal technology spend has increased significantly across the industry, but demonstrating the return on that spend to CFOs and boards remains a persistent challenge. Outside counsel relationships are being restructured, with many organizations moving toward panel arrangements, alternative fee agreements, and disaggregated service models.
All of these trends are converging in 2026. The conference agenda has been designed to address them directly and practically. Sessions are not product pitches or high-level trend surveys. They are case studies, peer discussions, and structured conversations between people who are living these challenges every day.
For anyone in a legal procurement or legal operations role, two days in a room with peers from JPMorgan, Novartis, Disney, and GSK, discussing real strategies and real outcomes, is a professional development investment that is very difficult to replicate anywhere else.
Conclusion
The 13th Annual Buying Legal Conference takes place on September 29 and 30, 2026, at 3 Times Square in New York City. Organized by the Buying Legal Council and chaired by Jason Winmill, it is the premier gathering for in-house legal procurement, legal operations professionals, and senior counsel focused on smarter legal spend management. The 2026 theme, Architecting Measurable ROI in Legal, sets a clear agenda around AI ROI, cost escalation, staffing evolution, and updated expectations for outside partners. Early Bird pricing ends July 31, and the conference sells out every year, making early registration essential. Hotel options at the Hilton New York Times Square and the Millennium Premier Hotel New York Times Square are available at special group rates through the official booking links. For European attendees, the EMEA edition follows in London on November 17 and 18, 2026, at the Dentons office at One Fleet Place. Between the two events, the Buying Legal Council is delivering the most complete annual program it has ever offered for professionals shaping the business of legal.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where does the 2026 New York conference take place?
The 13th Annual Buying Legal Conference takes place on September 29 and 30, 2026, at 3 Times Square in New York City. The venue is located in Midtown Manhattan, steps from Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center, and features a 15th-floor conference space with panoramic city views.
Who is eligible to attend with an in-house ticket?
In-house tickets are strictly reserved for professionals working inside corporate legal departments, including those in legal procurement, legal operations, and in-house counsel roles. These professionals must be tasked with buying legal services or legal technology for their organization. Vendor-side professionals and law firm representatives do not qualify for in-house tickets. Vendor tickets for the 2026 NYC edition are already sold out; sponsorship inquiries should be directed to sponsorship@buyinglegal.com.
What is the 2026 conference theme and what topics will be covered?
The 2026 theme is Architecting Measurable ROI in Legal. Topics include measuring ROI from AI and legal technology, managing cost escalation in legal departments, evolving staffing and roles inside legal teams, de-risking AI, KPIs that matter now for legal departments, and updated expectations for outside law firms and legal service providers.
Is there also a conference for professionals based in Europe?
Yes. The 9th Annual Buying Legal EMEA Conference will take place on November 17 and 18, 2026, at the Dentons office at One Fleet Place in London. It shares the same 2026 theme and features senior speakers from major European organizations including HSBC, Euroclear Group, Zurich Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group, Marsh McLennan, and EY, among others.
What hotel options are available for the New York conference?
Two hotels near the venue offer special group rates for attendees. The Hilton New York Times Square offers a rate of $399 per night with the destination fee waived, available until August 15, 2026. The Millennium Premier Hotel New York Times Square offers a rate of $299 per night with a waived destination fee and complimentary continental breakfast. Both booking links are available through the official conference registration page at buyinglegal.com.
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