Liaison counsel manages service and distribution of filings, maintains the service list, coordinates scheduling, and serves as the court's administrative contact. The role is typically filled by counsel with a presence in the transferee district.
It is distinct from lead counsel, who directs substantive strategy.
Alternative Names:
Liaison, Local Liaison Counsel
Why it Matters?
The role is administrative but consequential, since liaison counsel controls the service list through which every party receives filings. Counsel entering an established MDL must ensure they appear on that list, because notices distributed through liaison do not reach parties who have not registered. The position is also frequently a route to broader leadership involvement in subsequent proceedings.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does liaison counsel do?
Why does the service list matter?
