Corporate Counsel
| Company | Kemper |
|---|---|
| Location | Birmingham, AL, USA |
| Salary | $Not Provided – $Not Provided |
| Type | Full-Time |
| Degrees | JD |
| Experience Level | Senior |
Requirements
- A Law degree and a license to practice law in at least 1 state in the United States of America
- Ability to perform complex legal analysis and research, and thoroughly and expeditiously analyze, with attention to detail, complex claims and legal issues, and provide legal and coverage analysis, advice, risk assessment, guidance and oversight to members of the Field Claims organization, including Casualty, and the Claims Litigation Department.
- Ability to effectively communicate such legal and coverage analysis, advice, risk assessment, guidance and oversight, both orally and in writing, to Field Claims, including Casualty, and Claims Litigation employees, management, executives and other internal company customers at all levels.
- Experience and demonstrated skills with legal research tools such as LexisNexis, WestLaw, and other available legal-research resources.
- Licensure by a state bar
- Ability to complete extensive, complex written reports, legal opinions, and letters.
- Ability to handle bad faith cases, theft and fraud cases, class actions, and other complex litigation involving the company directly and/or giving rise to actual or potential extra-contractual exposure to the company.
Responsibilities
- Conducts thorough legal research and analysis of all matters referred. Conducts and/or directs further investigation as needed and makes recommendations to appropriate personnel.
- Effectively manages assigned litigation including selecting appropriate defense counsel, monitoring developments in discovery, approving the use of outside vendors and monitoring expenses. Evaluates the settlement potential of each case, requesting authority from management when required.
- Reviews adequacy of reserves for both extra-contractual indemnity and extra-contractual expenses. Recommends reserve adjustments to management.
- Attends settlement conferences, mediations, arbitrations, depositions, and trials when required by the courts or by management.
- Monitors, and may direct, third-party claims and lawsuits in Litigation that meet specified criteria for Corporate Litigation referral and/or create potential extra-contractual exposure to the insured and to the company.
- Adheres to reporting requirements dictated by Corporate guidelines and State Codes and regulations. Prepares reports outlining potential extra-contractual exposure, and case resolution relied upon by senior financial officers and General Counsel for accounting, reserving and reporting to the SEC and shareholders.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience and expertise in providing comprehensive written analysis, opinions and strategic guidance to Claims Staff at all levels is preferred, but not required.
- Understanding of good-faith claim-handling practices and extracontractual obligations is preferred, but not required.
- Familiarity with and understanding of insurance law and practices, and with insurance coverage and form policy provisions is preferred, but not required.
- Understanding of legal issues, and familiarity with caselaw, legislation, and regulations in states in which the company conducts insurance business is preferred, but not required.
- CPCU designation preferred.