AVP, Claim Legal Operations

Overview

This role provides oversight, leadership, direction, and monitoring of outside counsel to optimize claim outcomes and ensure superior legal services in representing policyholders. The position defines and maintains a legal services delivery model that directs work to high-performing counsel. Responsibilities include maintaining a right-sized, right-skilled panel of law firms with appropriate geographic and practice area coverage, establishing procedures to increase consistency in billing and litigation management guidelines, and supporting the use of analytics to inform counsel selection based on performance, quality, and feedback. The role also serves as a strategic advisor to claims, underwriting, and data & analytics teams, connecting legal outcomes to business impact. Hybrid attendance at one of the organization's claim locations is preferred.

Responsibilities

Outside Counsel Strategy

• Establish criteria for panel counsel selection, tiering, and specialization.
• Determine the optimal scope and composition of approved panel law firms to ensure geographic, jurisdictional, and subject-matter coverage aligned with claims volume and risk.
• Collaborate with all lines of business to develop and implement approaches to enhance identification and management of panel law firms.
• Conduct RFPs, periodic panel reassessments/refreshes, and market benchmarking initiatives.
• Develop strategies to promote outside counsel awareness and utilization of preferred claim legal vendors.
• Define expectations for counsel quality and performance outcomes; implement comprehensive counsel review, corrective actions, and processes to remove or remediate underperforming counsel.
• Identify and implement plans to minimize third-party risks related to outside counsel, including information security, legal, regulatory, and financial risks.

Data/Analytics and Expense Management

• Evaluate opportunities to improve predictability of Allocated Loss Adjustment Expenses (ALAE) across all expense categories, including exploring alternative fee arrangements.
• Leverage advanced litigation technologies, tools, and data analytics to improve efficiency throughout the claim litigation lifecycle.
• Drive predictable budgeting and forecasting to align legal spend with claim complexity and exposure.
• Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to legal expense management, panel utilization, performance, outcomes, and guideline compliance.

Business Partnership and Litigation Strategy

• Collaborate with claims leadership on litigation strategy and align counsel management expectations with lines of business and complexity models.
• Develop procedures to ensure counsel utilization aligns with enterprise objectives.
• Extract and communicate actionable business intelligence regarding law firm utilization, performance, and outcomes to stakeholders.
• Monitor and report on trends in claim litigation.
• Lead change management initiatives impacting legal service delivery to improve outcomes across the claim litigation lifecycle.
• Serve as business lead for legal technology implementations, enhancements, and integrations to streamline and improve utility and consistency.

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead and develop counsel management, legal bill audit, and claim legal operations teams.
• Establish clear roles, accountability, and operating procedures.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation.
• Foster a culture of performance, transparency, and partnership.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Licensed attorney in good standing with a State Bar.
• Minimum of 12 years practicing law with a focus on insurance defense and complex civil litigation.
• At least 10 years of leadership experience supervising multiple attorneys.
• Significant experience handling insurance defense litigation for multiple insurance carriers.
• In-depth knowledge of claim litigation, insurance business operations, and the legal and regulatory environment.
• Ability to communicate difficult messages with honesty and transparency to customers and internal partners.
• Demonstrated leadership and mentorship experience managing legal teams including attorneys and support staff.
• Superior communication, interpersonal, and client relationship management skills.
• Strong organizational skills, project leadership capabilities, and attention to detail.
• Comfortable leading through organizational change in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced understanding of litigation strategy and execution across multiple insurance lines and jurisdictions.
• Openness to feedback and constructive criticism.
• Proven ability to earn and maintain trust of clients and colleagues.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on customers and willingness to pursue innovative opportunities.
• Commitment to ethics, integrity, and transparency.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $140,000 to $215,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on factors including skills, experience, education, role responsibilities, and market considerations.
• Benefits include medical and dental plans, life insurance (including coverage for eligible spouses and children), health care flexible spending accounts, dependent care accounts, 401(k) savings plans, and paid time off.

Location

• Hybrid work arrangement preferred, with attendance at one of the organization's claim locations.