Associate General Counsel - Risk Transfer Solutions

About the role

The Associate General Counsel, Risk Transfer Solutions (“AGC RTS”) is a legal resource within the Markel Claims Department, providing legal coverage and litigation support to the claims professionals, specifically with respect to transferring, evaluating, accepting and/or recovering tendered risk. AGC RTS provides specialized legal advice for multiple insurance lines of business, with specific emphasis on risk transfer issues.

Responsibilities

• Reviewing first- and third-party policies, specifically with regards to additional insured and insured contract provisions, as well as priority of coverage
• Reviewing insureds' contracts to assess Insurance and Indemnity obligations owed to and by the insured
• Providing legal advice to claims associates on tenders of coverage to insureds' policies, particularly as it pertains to whether or not such parties are additional insureds or contractual indemnitees
• Drafting correspondence both in response to tenders of coverage to insureds' policies and seeking coverage for insureds where risk transfer as an additional insured or indemnitee is appropriate
• Pursuing appropriate recovery for coverage owed for the defense or indemnity of an insured in its capacity as an additional insured under a policy or contractual indemnitee under contract
• Managing disputes and litigation over the duty to defend and/or duty to indemnify parties as potential additional insureds and contractual indemnitees
• Researching and keeping apprised of changes in the law, specifically regarding Anti-Indemnity Statutes
• Drafting and litigating actions seeking coverage owed to insureds in their capacity as additional insureds or contractual rights owed to the insureds as contractual indemnitees
• Mediating, negotiating, or litigating the recovery of defense and indemnity owed to the insured, as well as priority of coverage issues
• Working minimally with outside coverage counsel to advance risk transfer objectives
• Participating in strategic discussions on coverage matters involving multiple insureds and insurers
• Providing training on coverage issues to the Claims Department
• Communicating with defense counsel, coverage counsel, and other insurers to effectuate risk transfer and priority of coverage
• Communicating with our Underwriting partners regarding policy, contract and risk transfer assessment
• Preparing white papers on topics of interest (coverage related) as requested
• Preparing quarterly reports to Claims Management communicating key performance metrics, identifying action plans for training as needed, and identifying trends relating to risk transfer coverage issues
• Attending mediations, or settlement conferences on behalf of the Company

Requirements

• J.D. Degree and active license to practice law in at least one state
• 4 to 8 years of recent coverage practice in a law firm or with an insurer with an emphasis and understanding of risk transfer, contractual interpretation, additional insured provisions, and priority of coverage or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Significant experience with the review of commercial contracts (specifically Insurance and Indemnity provisions)
• Comfort communicating with other insurers and drafting lawsuits
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities

Skills

• Extensive working knowledge of both admitted and surplus lines policies
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with little oversight
• Ability to analyze and summarize complex issues; recognize alternative approaches and develop action plans both orally and in written form
• Ability to provide advice and interact with all business partners