Litigation Manager

Career Guide

A Litigation Manager leads an organization’s strategy and day-to-day work for lawsuits and legal disputes. The role coordinates internal teams and outside counsel, manages budgets and deadlines, reduces legal risk, and helps leadership make informed decisions about settlement, trial, and policy changes.

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Key Responsibilities

Assess new claims and recommend response strategies
Oversee outside counsel and ensure quality work
Manage litigation budgets, invoices, and cost controls
Develop case plans, timelines, and key milestones
Coordinate document collection and legal holds
Lead discovery planning and evidence preparation
Prepare executives and employees for interviews and testimony
Track risks, outcomes, and trends across the case portfolio
Drive settlement evaluation and negotiation support
Partner with business teams to prevent repeat issues through policy and process changes

Top Skills for Success

Legal Research

Legal Writing

Case Strategy

Negotiation

Stakeholder Management

Project Management

Budget Management

Risk Assessment

Ediscovery Management

Contract Interpretation

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Litigation Manager

Head of Litigation

Associate General Counsel

Deputy General Counsel

General Counsel

Transition Opportunities

Compliance Manager

Risk Manager

Employment Counsel

Commercial Counsel

Legal Operations Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Portfolio ReportingVendor ManagementBudget ForecastingEdiscovery ManagementProcess ImprovementSettlement ValuationExecutive CommunicationMatter Intake Design

Development SuggestionsBuild a repeatable case intake and reporting routine, strengthen cost controls with clear guidelines for outside counsel, and create simple dashboards that track spend, timelines, outcomes, and risk. Practice concise executive updates that focus on options, tradeoffs, and recommended actions.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 90,000 to 125,000

Mid LevelUSD 125,000 to 175,000

Senior LevelUSD 175,000 to 260,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand. Hiring increases in highly regulated industries and in organizations with frequent disputes, with added emphasis on cost control, risk reporting, and efficient case management.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Large law firmsInsurance carriersBanksHealthcare systemsPharmaceutical companiesTechnology companiesRetail brandsManufacturersEnergy companiesGovernment agencies

Industry Sectors

Financial servicesHealthcareTechnologyInsuranceManufacturingEnergyRetailTransportationTelecommunicationsPublic sector

Recommended Next Steps

Create a one-page litigation status template for leadership updates

Standardize outside counsel guidelines and billing rules

Implement a consistent matter intake checklist and risk rating method

Strengthen ediscovery skills through hands-on training and tool exposure

Run a budget review on active matters and identify cost-saving levers

Collect lessons learned after major matters and update policies to prevent repeats

Build relationships with key internal partners in finance, HR, security, and operations