Legal Operations & Analytics Manager

ICW Group•San Diego, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Legal Operations & Analytics Manager strategically manages ICW Group’s outside counsel network across Workers’ Compensation, General Liability, Auto Liability, Coverage, and Bad Faith. The role oversees outside counsel panel governance, annual defense spend, performance analytics, e-billing and invoice compliance, and the adoption of AI and legal technology to improve claim outcomes, operational efficiency, and litigation-spend management while maintaining defense quality. The manager leads panel selection, tiering, geographic coverage, specialty standards, RFPs, firm onboarding and offboarding, and rate negotiations, including alternative fee arrangements where appropriate. The role manages the Workers’ Compensation defense budget and develops comparable spend visibility and budget ownership for other lines of business as programs are onboarded. It partners with Finance and Claims leadership on forecasts, identifies cost-reduction opportunities, and uses objective performance scorecards and analytics to guide panel and counsel-assignment decisions. The position establishes billing standards and oversees e-billing controls, invoice audits, and compliance. It partners with Claim Strategy & Operations, IT, Data Science, and Analytics to develop legal-operations metrics and assess, pilot, and deploy AI-enabled solutions. It also builds governance and vendor-management practices for Coverage and Bad Faith litigation and provides executive-quality reporting and strategic insights across Claims, Legal, Finance, and Analytics. This role has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 7 years of experience in legal operations, outside counsel management, or claims litigation management.
Strong computer skills, including advanced Excel proficiency.
Experience with e-billing and legal spend management platforms.
Demonstrated interest in applying AI and legal technology to operational workflows.

Nice To Haves

J.D., paralegal certification, or equivalent legal operations credential.
Experience in a property and casualty or workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
Experience with business intelligence or data tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
Prior experience building or administering a multi-line-of-business outside counsel scorecard or panel program.
Experience piloting or implementing AI-enabled legal or claims technology.
Insurance industry experience across multiple lines of business, including Workers’ Compensation, General Liability, Auto, and Coverage.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic oversight of the outside counsel panel across Workers’ Compensation, General Liability, Auto Liability, Coverage, and Bad Faith, including selection standards, performance expectations, tiering, geographic coverage, and specialty expertise.
Lead RFP processes and outside counsel firm onboarding and offboarding.
Negotiate rates and alternative fee arrangements, as appropriate to claim severity and complexity.
Serve as the primary relationship owner for panel firms while balancing cost discipline, defense relationships, and litigation quality.
Manage the Workers’ Compensation defense budget and develop comparable spend visibility and budget ownership for other lines of business as programs are onboarded.
Partner with Finance and Claims leadership on quarterly and annual outside counsel spend forecasts by line of business and severity band.
Identify and execute cost-reduction opportunities without compromising claim outcomes.
Design, administer, and refine the Defense Attorney Scorecard using objective, weighted performance indicators.
Translate law firm performance results into panel-management recommendations, including counsel assignment, referrals, and In-House Counsel utilization strategies.
Partner with Data Science and Analytics to enhance performance measurement frameworks and validate emerging indicators of legal outcomes, efficiency, service quality, and litigation effectiveness.
Deliver executive-level reporting and trend analyses on law firm performance, litigation spend, and panel effectiveness.
Establish and oversee outside counsel billing policies and standards across lines of business.
Conduct billing analytics and invoice audits to identify savings, improve billing efficiency, and ensure services align with engagement standards.
Manage the e-billing program, including invoice-processing efficiency, controls, and communication of billing requirements.
Partner with Claim Strategy & Operations and IT to assess, pilot, and deploy AI-driven solutions for legal operations, spend management, and litigation efficiency.
Establish a strategic roadmap for AI adoption in legal operations.
Evaluate outside counsel adoption of AI and legal technologies and incorporate their effects on efficiency, value, and pricing into panel and engagement strategies.
Develop governance and vendor-management frameworks for Coverage and Bad Faith litigation.
Work with stakeholders on counsel selection, Bad Faith escalation protocols, and performance monitoring tailored to these matters.
Connect Claims, Legal, Finance, and Analytics functions to support data-driven decisions about outside counsel performance, legal operations, and spend management.
Produce and deliver analytics, scorecards, dashboards, and presentation materials on litigation performance, legal spend, and business trends.
Evaluate litigation trends and market developments across the covered lines of business and incorporate insights into panel oversight and long-term legal-operations strategy.