litigator

noun

lit·​i·​ga·​tor ˈli-tə-ˌgā-tər 

plural litigators

: one who carries on a legal contest by judicial process : one who litigates legal cases

As a civil-rights litigator, Payton had argued a Richmond, Va., case before the Supreme Court …

—William Greider

For thirty years he had been a ruthless litigator, the meanest, nastiest, and without a doubt one of the most effective courtroom brawlers in Chicago.

—John Grisham

In the 1950's and 60's, he became known as the consummate litigator. Lawyers and judges describe him in the courtroom as wily, charming, eloquent and erudite, with a light but deft touch at cross-examination.

—Jan Hoffman

Examples of litigator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nathan Johnson, a veteran litigator and Texas state senator, was elected this week as attorney general of the Lone Star State, assuming the role in January 2027. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2026

The litigators wore robes and horsehair wigs, and the microphone on the prosecutor’s lectern was held in place with an enormous amount of yellow and black hazard duct tape. — Luke Jones, Vanity Fair, 5 Nov. 2026

But in Roy, an enthusiastic and tenacious California deputy attorney general, the city will have a proactive top litigator who’s ready to play offense. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Meanwhile, Joseph Elie-Meyers, a former civil rights litigator, has used his legal experience to navigate the regulatory landscape. — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for litigator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Legal Definition

litigator

noun

lit·​i·​ga·​tor ˈli-tə-ˌgā-tər 

: one that litigates

especially : a lawyer skilled at litigation