Counsel - Technology, Privacy, and Insurance (Hybrid)

About the role

Selective is a midsized U.S. domestic property and casualty insurance company with nearly 100 years of strong, consistent financial performance, recognized in Forbes Best Midsize Employers 2025 and certified as a Great Place to Work® for the sixth consecutive year. This position provides day-to-day legal support in the Insurance, Technology, and Privacy Law function, with significant focus on technology and vendor contracting, information compliance (privacy, data security, and artificial intelligence legal support and governance), and insurance underwriting operations. The role helps build and operate the Company’s governance frameworks, evaluates proposed data and AI uses against legal requirements and internal standards, documents governance decisions and conditions, and supports accountable committees and business owners. It also drafts and negotiates technology and vendor agreements using established positions, templates, and playbooks, and provides support for policy forms, filings, and regulatory questions. Novel, high-risk, or strategic issues are escalated to the VP, Assistant General Counsel.

Responsibilities

• Drafts, reviews, and negotiates technology, SaaS, cloud, software licensing, data sharing, and professional services agreements using Company templates, playbooks, and approved fallback positions.
• Coordinates review of data, security, and access terms with Information Security and third-party risk management; flags privacy, security, and AI provisions requiring heightened review; escalates non-standard terms and strategic agreements.
• Serves as day-to-day escalation point for routine commercial contracts; tracks volume, turnaround time, and recurring issues; maintains contract templates, clause libraries, and negotiation playbooks.
• Helps maintain and operate the Company’s privacy program, including privacy policies, standards, notices, and disclosures; conducts privacy impact assessments on proposed data uses; maintains records of processing and data inventory documentation; determines permissibility of proposed uses.
• Advises on data use questions under applicable laws, including the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and state privacy laws; supports consumer privacy rights requests.
• Advises on legal and regulatory requirements governing the Company’s information security program, including NYDFS Cybersecurity Requirements (23 NYCRR 500) and state insurance data security laws based on the NAIC Insurance Data Security Model Law (#668); supports documentation and certification obligations.
• Supports cyber incident response under the direction of the VP, Assistant General Counsel, including notification analysis under state breach notification laws.
• Partners with IT Vendor Risk Management on third-party risk assessments and on security requirements applied to vendors handling Company or policyholder data.
• Serves as a legal resource to the Company’s artificial intelligence governance program; evaluates proposed AI use cases at intake against the governance framework and applicable requirements, including the NAIC Model Bulletin on Use of Artificial Intelligence by Insurers, NYDFS Circular Letter No. 7 (2024), and Colorado SB21-169.
• Conducts AI risk assessments, reviews model documentation and testing records, sets and documents conditions placed on business owners, and prepares materials for and supports the accountable committee.
• Drafts and recommends updates to privacy, data security, and AI governance policies, standards, and intake procedures; maintains records evidencing how governance decisions were reached.
• Monitors legal and regulatory developments affecting privacy, data security, AI, technology contracting, and insurance regulation; advises business owners regarding resulting compliance obligations and operational impacts.
• Reports governance activity, open conditions, and emerging risks to the VP, Assistant General Counsel, and to applicable governance committees.
• Provides support for policy form, endorsement, and manual rule review for admitted commercial and personal lines, including consistency with underwriting and actuarial intent and applicable state requirements.
• Assists with cancellation, nonrenewal, and withdrawal notice requirements, producer and agency questions, NFIP Flood program questions, and rate, rule, and form filing support.
• Works with the Regulatory Management Services team on filing objections, responding to complaints, and market conduct examination requests.
• Serves as day-to-day legal contact for assigned business units; develops and delivers practical training so business owners understand their governance obligations for data and AI use and the Company’s contracting requirements.
• Manages assigned outside counsel matters under the direction of the VP, Assistant General Counsel, including scoping requests, reviewing work product, and reviewing invoices against the Company’s outside counsel billing guidelines.

Requirements

• Depth in technology contracting or information compliance (privacy, data security, or AI governance) with working knowledge of the other, and ability to apply established legal positions, templates, and playbooks accurately across a steady volume of matters.
• Practical experience operating a governance or compliance program: running assessments, applying a framework to real use cases, documenting decisions and conditions so they withstand later review, and working through cross-functional committees and business owners to see conditions implemented.
• Familiarity with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, state privacy and insurance data security laws, and emerging AI regulation, or demonstrated ability to develop such knowledge.
• Insurance underwriting and regulatory knowledge is helpful but can be developed on the job.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Sound judgment about when an issue can be resolved within established parameters and when it requires escalation.
• Ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines concurrently with limited supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to explain legal and regulatory requirements clearly to non-lawyers.
• High attention to detail and proficiency with contract management and legal technology tools.
• Demonstrated ability to earn the trust of clients and colleagues.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree required.
• 6+ years of legal experience, including substantive experience in technology and commercial contracting or in privacy, data security, or AI governance.
• Combination of law firm and in-house experience preferred.
• Insurance or other regulated financial services experience preferred.
• Privacy or AI certification (CIPP/US, CIPM, or AIGP) preferred.
• Licensed to practice law in at least one US jurisdiction; if not admitted in NJ, eligibility for and commitment to obtain a NJ in-house counsel limited license.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health care plans
• Retirement savings plan with company match
• Discounted Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Tuition assistance and reimbursement programs
• 20 days of paid time off

Pay

USD $130,000.00 - USD $168,000.00 per year. Actual base salary is based on geographic location, relevant education, qualifications, experience, skills, performance, and business needs.