Legal Operations & Analytics Manager

ICW Group•Pleasanton, CA

3d•$137,617 - $232,082•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 litigation. The role oversees the outside counsel panel, legal spend and budgets, performance measurement, e-billing and invoice compliance, and the use of artificial intelligence and legal technology to improve claim outcomes, operational efficiency, and litigation spend while maintaining defense quality. The position manages panel standards, selection, tiering, geographic coverage, specialty expertise, RFPs, firm onboarding and offboarding, and rate negotiations, including alternative fee arrangements. It builds and oversees defense spend visibility and forecasting, develops objective performance scorecards, and translates results into counsel assignment and panel management recommendations. The role also establishes billing standards, manages e-billing, conducts invoice audits and analytics, and works with Claims, Legal, Finance, Analytics, Data Science, Claim Strategy & Operations, and IT to advance reporting and technology initiatives. The manager develops the governance and vendor management framework for Coverage and Bad Faith litigation and provides executive-quality reporting on law firm performance, litigation spend, and business trends. The role has no supervisory responsibilities. It operates in an office environment with frequent use of standard office equipment. ICW Group is not offering employment sponsorship for this opportunity.

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, preferably within a P&C or workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
Strong computer skills, including advanced Microsoft Excel.
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 with BI/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 the RFP process and firm onboarding and offboarding; negotiate rates and alternative fee arrangements where appropriate.
Serve as the primary relationship owner for panel firms while balancing cost discipline and litigation quality.
Manage the Workers’ Compensation defense budget and build 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 forecasting 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 KPIs to assess performance, outcomes, efficiency, and cost effectiveness.
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 and incorporate emerging indicators.
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.
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, 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 within legal operations.
Evaluate outside counsel adoption of AI and related legal technologies and incorporate effects on efficiency, value, and pricing into panel management 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 facilitate data-driven decisions about counsel performance, legal operations, and spend.
Produce and deliver analytics, scorecards, dashboards, and presentation materials communicating litigation performance, legal spend, and business trends.
Evaluate litigation trends and market developments across the relevant lines of business and incorporate insights into panel oversight and long-term strategy.