Senior Corporate Counsel - Insurance

The California Dental Association is a membership organization representing 27,000 dental professionals and champions the oral health of the communities they serve. As the largest state dental association in the U.S., CDA delivers advocacy initiatives, education, and expert guidance to its members. Founded in 1870, CDA has grown into a family of companies including The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC), TDIC Insurance Solutions, Rotunda Partners, and the CDA Foundation.

About the role

The Senior Corporate Counsel is responsible for assisting in protecting the organization's legal interest and maintaining its operations within the scope established by law. This role will assist the General Counsel in identifying and analyzing legal issues, drafting key documents, presenting clear recommendations, and assuring legal compliance for the California Dental Association, The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC), TDIC Insurance Solutions (TDICIS), and related companies.

Responsibilities

• Advises the California Dental Association, CDA Foundation, The Dentists Insurance Company, and TDIC Insurance Solutions on all legal, legislative, governance, and regulatory matters, with a primary focus on insurance matters.
• Assists with regulatory filings with state governmental agencies overseeing the insurance industry in California and other licensed states.
• Assists with the development of policy forms, underwriting guidelines, and procedures in compliance with department of insurance requirements.
• Participates in the development and preparation of all form and rate filings.
• Works with outside legal counsel to create policy forms and serves as TDIC’s liaison with state insurance regulators.
• Provides legal support in the development of new products and services for TDIC and TDIC Insurance Solutions.
• Coordinates work with the Department of Insurance for all market conduct exams.
• Reviews treaty language in conjunction with TDIC reinsurance renewal.
• Interprets laws, rulings, and regulations, including current and past legislation, analyzing legal implications, and providing optional strategies for responsive actions.
• Assists staff in negotiation and drafting of legislation and regulations.
• Works with outside regulatory agencies to review the legal impact of past and newly introduced legislation.
• Researches and prepares legal memoranda as requested by General Counsel.
• Develops communication to inform and educate members regarding laws and regulations affecting them.
• Researches and stays abreast of changes in the law related to the insurance industry, associations, and non-profits.
• Assists General Counsel in the management of pending litigation involving TDIC or TDIC Insurance Solutions.
• Monitors and acts as a resource for outside counsel to manage various matters; may handle small litigation cases in-house.
• Engages with and supervises specialty external counsel for highly technical or specialized areas of law or litigation.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate required, with a minimum of five years of experience with insurance law.
• Active State Bar licensure in at least one state; eligibility for Registered In-House Counsel status in California preferred; California law license highly preferred.
• Knowledge and understanding of insurance codes and regulations in California and other states.
• Knowledge and understanding of the insurance industry, particularly related to professional liability, property, cyber, and workers’ compensation insurance.
• Strong computer skills, including mastery of Windows/Microsoft Office and the ability to quickly learn and adopt other technology platforms.
• Ability to conduct computerized legal research.

Qualifications

• Ability to analyze regulatory letters, insureds’ complaints, insurance policies, legislation, pleadings, and contracts.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and planning skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Diplomacy and tact in interacting with all levels within and outside the organization.
• Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on complex topics to management, public groups, and boards of directors.
• Ability to perform job duties independently, exercising good judgment and professionalism.
• Ability to quickly and accurately analyze complex regulatory, statutory, or contractual matters and provide concise, practical, actionable guidance aligned with business needs.
• Excellent research and drafting abilities with attention to detail.
• Ability to self-generate professional contracts, pleadings, memos, and responses to inquiries while maintaining a high level of professionalism and responsiveness.
• Well-developed organizational skills to manage multiple matters with complex or intersecting deadlines.
• Experience with negotiation and drafting of legislation and regulations preferred.

Skills

Universal Competencies

• Collaboration: Proactively engages with an iterative mindset to enhance ideas and achieve organizational results; cultivates relationships, builds partnerships, and shares and learns without boundaries.
• Service: Focuses on meeting needs and exceeding expectations for those served inside and outside the organization.
• Respect: Embraces others for their true authentic self; nurtures and promotes an environment that values diversity of thought, input, experience, and expertise.

Role-Specific Competencies

• Problem Solving: Applies analysis, creativity, resilience, and logic to reach optimal outcomes; develops and implements solutions.
• Decision Making: Decides with intention, reflection, and reason while maintaining a big-picture mindset; clarifies purpose, evaluates alternatives, and analyzes risks.
• Approachability: Is consistently approachable, open to feedback, and truthful; builds trust and authentic professional relationships.

Benefits

• Remote and hybrid flexibility with technology to support remote work.
• Generous time off program starting at 22 days of PTO and 13 paid holidays (includes a floating holiday and winter closure).
• Highly competitive medical, dental, and vision plans, including FSA and HSA account options.
• 401(k) plans with a generous match and safe harbor contributions upon eligibility.
• Paid parental leave.
• Wellness programs, including incentives and an In-Shape Family Fitness discount.
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and leadership skill-building.
• Critical illness, accident, life, pet, short-term, and long-term disability insurance options.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for support navigating day-to-day challenges.

Pay

Exempt - $165,400 - $220,600 per year

Schedule

• Remote-first work environment with occasional travel and in-office meetings.
• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.

Working Conditions

• Constantly standing, bending, sitting, kneeling.
• Performing computer-based tasks and visually inspecting and reviewing physical documents.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to hear, understand, speak to, communicate with, and persuade small or large groups of people in various roles.