Legal Audit Counsel

Responsibilities

• Validate legal bill charges using attorney guidelines and industry standards through an electronic billing system.
• Resolve billing disputes and handle legal bill review appeals.
• Educate law firms and staff on the bill review process.
• Analyze billing discrepancies to assess law firm performance and billing trends.
• Support multiple independent operating units within W. R. Berkley Corporation.
• Ensure prompt, accurate, and efficient auditing of submitted legal fee and expense invoices.
• Discuss, explain, and educate attorneys and claims staff on reasons for invoice reductions, bill review process, and compliance with litigation and billing guidelines.
• Advise and work closely with claim managers, adjusters, and attorneys on billing discrepancies to determine the reasonableness of time spent and best course of action for resolution.
• Develop and maintain extensive knowledge related to determining the likely legal necessity for specific insurance defense and coverage related law firm work.
• Make quick, sound decisions and negotiate resolution of billing issues or disputes.
• Utilize claim file and document review to obtain claim strategy information and apply during review process.
• Engage in written and/or verbal communications with law firms and/or the Berkley operating unit employees managing the claim, serving as the technical resource for appeal oversight and/or discretionary reviews.
• Participate in calibration and consultation with the Litigation Management Services team.
• Collaborate with claims department for more effective litigation cost control.
• Serve as a technical resource to other claim professionals and various stakeholders, providing consultation and training regarding legal bill review and related best practices where appropriate.
• Drive and influence compliance with partnering law firms based on W.R. Berkley Corporation’s retention and billing policies and philosophy through building a trusted and strategic business partnerships.
• Aid in identifying improvement or innovative opportunities and understand, assess, and remove barriers to success of this newly formed team.

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of experience working with litigation and legal billing practices, including civil court rules and procedures and state and federal court systems.
• Three (3) years of legal bill review experience with exposure to multiple lines of business and varying levels of billing complexity.
• Proficient in the use of eBilling platforms, including Bottomline’s LegalX and Legal Exchange.
• Experience utilizing AI-enabled legal billing and analytics tools to support accurate bill review, identify billing irregularities, and ensure compliance with outside counsel billing guidelines.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Adobe PDF.
• Excellent computer and technical aptitude, with the ability to adapt quickly to new systems and technologies.
• Ability to function independently and successfully multi-task in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong legal judgment with the ability to make sound, well-reasoned decisions.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to leverage data and technology to optimize legal spend.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, and intellectual curiosity.
• Team-oriented, collaborative, and able to work effectively with minimal supervision.