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Glossary
Parties, Roles, and Litigation Teams
Counsel Roles terms within parties, roles, and litigation teams.
parties-roles-and-litigation-teams
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.
Co-counsel are attorneys from different firms jointly representing a client in the same matter.
A conflict of interest exists where representation of one client is materially limited by duties to another.
Coverage counsel advises an insurer on whether a claim is covered, separately from the defense counsel representing the insured.
A general counsel is the senior lawyer in an organization, responsible for the legal function and legal risk.
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.
Lead counsel directs strategy and bears primary responsibility for a matter or for a group of coordinated cases.
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.
National coordinating counsel manages a company's litigation strategy across many related cases nationwide, directing local counsel in each jurisdiction.
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.
Personal counsel represents an insured's individual interests separately from insurer-appointed defense counsel.
Staff counsel are attorneys employed directly by an insurance carrier to defend its policyholders, as an alternative to retained panel firms.
Trial counsel is the attorney who tries the case, sometimes brought in separately from counsel who handled pretrial work.
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