Parties, Roles, and Litigation Teams

An absent class member is bound by a class judgment without appearing or participating in the litigation.

An alter ego defendant is an entity or individual treated as identical to another because corporate separateness was disregarded.

Appellate counsel handles appeals, frequently retained separately from trial counsel for the specialized skill set.

An attorney of record is counsel formally appearing for a party, receiving service and bearing case responsibility.

A claims adjuster investigates, evaluates, and resolves insurance claims, and is the primary decision-maker on reserves and settlement authority.

A claims examiner investigates, evaluates, and resolves insurance claims on the carrier's behalf.

A claims supervisor oversees examiners, reviews significant claims, and holds higher settlement authority.

Co-counsel are attorneys from different firms jointly representing a client in the same matter.

A co-defendant is one of multiple parties sued in the same action, whose interests may align or conflict.

A conflict of interest exists where representation of one client is materially limited by duties to another.

A contract attorney is engaged temporarily for defined work, most commonly document review.

A corporate representative is the individual designated to speak or testify for a company in litigation, at deposition or at trial.

A coverage analyst evaluates whether a policy responds to a claim, separate from liability handling.

Coverage counsel advises an insurer on whether a claim is covered, separately from the defense counsel representing the insured.

The defendant is the party against whom a civil lawsuit is filed, required to respond to the complaint or risk default.

An e-discovery project manager coordinates the collection, processing, review, and production workflow.

A general counsel is the senior lawyer in an organization, responsible for the legal function and legal risk.

A guardian ad litem is appointed to represent the interests of a minor or incapacitated person in litigation.

In-house counsel are attorneys employed directly by an organization rather than practicing at a law firm.

Independent counsel is defense counsel selected by the insured and paid by the insurer when a conflict arises from a reservation of rights.

An intervenor is a non-party who joins pending litigation to protect an interest that would otherwise be affected.

Lead counsel directs strategy and bears primary responsibility for a matter or for a group of coordinated cases.

A legal nurse consultant applies clinical knowledge to medical record review and case analysis.

A litigation manager oversees an organization's litigation portfolio, directing outside counsel and managing spend.

A litigation support specialist manages the technology and data aspects of case handling.

Local counsel is an attorney admitted in the forum who associates with out-of-state counsel appearing pro hac vice.

Monitoring counsel oversees defense counsel's handling on behalf of an insurer without appearing in the action.

A named plaintiff is a plaintiff identified in the caption, distinguished from absent class members.

National coordinating counsel manages a company's litigation strategy across many related cases nationwide, directing local counsel in each jurisdiction.

A necessary party is one whose presence is required for complete relief or to protect their own interest.

A nominal party is named in an action without having a real interest in the outcome.

Outside counsel are attorneys at law firms retained by a client, distinguished from in-house legal staff.

Panel counsel are law firms pre-approved by an insurer to defend its insureds, subject to negotiated rates and litigation guidelines.

A paralegal performs substantive legal work under attorney supervision, including document review and case management.

Personal counsel represents an insured's individual interests separately from insurer-appointed defense counsel.

The plaintiff is the party who files a civil lawsuit, bearing the burden of proving each element of the claims asserted.

The real party in interest is the person entitled to enforce the right asserted under the applicable substantive law.

A records retrieval vendor obtains medical, employment, and other records on behalf of litigants.

A registered agent is the person designated to receive service of process on behalf of an entity.

A risk manager identifies and mitigates an organization's exposures, including insurance procurement and loss prevention.

Staff counsel are attorneys employed directly by an insurance carrier to defend its policyholders, as an alternative to retained panel firms.

A subrogation specialist pursues recovery from third parties responsible for losses the carrier paid.

A successor entity is one that acquired another's business and may inherit its liabilities under defined circumstances.

A third-party administrator handles claims on behalf of a self-insured entity or carrier without bearing the underlying risk.

A third-party defendant is a party brought into an action by a defendant on a derivative liability theory.

A third-party plaintiff is a defendant who brings a claim against a new party for derivative liability.

Trial counsel is the attorney who tries the case, sometimes brought in separately from counsel who handled pretrial work.

A trial technician operates presentation technology during trial, displaying exhibits and testimony on cue.