Virginia’s new Consumer Data Protection Act and other emerging privacy legislation across the globe have raised the stakes for corporate legal departments and their organizations when it comes to enacting successful compliance programs. However, the specialized talent needed to design, maintain and grow those programs may be in short supply on the legal marketplace right now—which could force companies to create the next wave of privacy professionals themselves.

Part of the issue is an ongoing disparity between the types of roles that experienced privacy talent are looking to occupy, and what businesses are willing to pay. PJ Harari, a partner in Major, Lindsey & Africa’s in-house recruiting group, noted that available privacy professionals on the market are often looking to claim titles like “chief privacy officer”—which can come with a hefty price tag.