Parties, Roles, and Litigation Teams
Counsel Roles
Lead counsel makes strategic decisions, coordinates the team, and is the primary client contact. In coordinated proceedings the court appoints lead counsel to direct litigation on behalf of many parties.
Appointed lead counsel owes duties to all represented parties.
Alternative Names:
Lead Attorney, Principal Counsel
Why it Matters?
Court-appointed lead counsel in consolidated proceedings owes obligations to parties who did not select them, which is a fiduciary posture distinct from ordinary representation. Individual counsel whose client's interests diverge from the group position must decide whether to defer or object, and objecting preserves positions that deference forfeits. Understanding what lead counsel controls and what remains individual is worth establishing early in any coordinated matter.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What obligations does appointed lead counsel bear?
What should individual counsel establish early?
