2016 Annual Litigation Trends Survey

Publication | September 15, 2016

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Twelfth edition introduces litigation minimization framework and expenditure benchmarking tools

We have released our 2016 Annual Litigation Trends Survey. This year’s survey polled more than 600 corporate counsel representing companies across 24 countries on disputes-related issues and concerns. Survey respondents―primarily general counsel―indicate an upward trend in virtually all of the metrics relating to litigation and the broader disputes area.

The survey report’s litigation minimization framework comes as a result of reviewing and collating successful measures taken by companies facing disputes. This practical tool is adaptable to suit a company’s specific situation, allowing in-house counsel to review their current approach and implement measures to reduce litigation risk and costs.

In addition, a detailed analysis of litigation expenditure data collected in this survey, not surprisingly, reveals a correlation between a company’s revenue and its litigation spending. The median average proportion of litigation spending stands at one tenth of one percent (0.1%) of total revenue. This year’s survey report includes a table which gives in-house counsel the opportunity to benchmark its own litigation spend against a closer peer group, broken down by annual revenue, region and industry sector.

The 12th edition of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Annual Litigation Trends Survey was conducted by Acritas, a global legal services market business research firm. Introduced in 2004, this is the largest survey of corporate counsel on litigation issues and trends, with 606 respondents across numerous jurisdictions (including the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, Australia, Canada and Asia) from a wide range of industry sectors.