Overview
This role involves serving as Legal Audit Counsel within the Legal Management Services department of a large commercial lines property and casualty insurer. The primary responsibility is to validate legal bill charges using attorney guidelines and industry standards through an electronic billing system. The position supports multiple independent operating units and requires collaboration with law firms, claims staff, and attorneys to ensure accurate and reasonable legal billing.
Responsibilities
- Audit legal fee and expense invoices promptly and accurately according to litigation and billing guidelines.
- Conduct detailed line-by-line invoice reviews to verify accuracy, reasonableness, and compliance with agreed fee structures.
- Analyze tasks to evaluate case progression from initiation to closure.
- Communicate with law firms and claims staff to gather information necessary for bill review.
- Identify billing discrepancies based on litigation guidelines, industry standards, and case history; reduce invoices as appropriate.
- Educate attorneys and claims personnel on invoice reductions, billing processes, and compliance requirements.
- Collaborate with claim managers, adjusters, and attorneys to resolve billing discrepancies and determine reasonable time expenditures.
- Develop expertise in assessing the legal necessity of insurance defense and coverage-related law firm work.
- Make sound decisions and negotiate resolutions for billing disputes.
- Review claim files and documents to understand claim strategies and apply insights during bill review.
- Serve as a technical resource for appeal oversight and discretionary reviews.
- Participate in team calibration and consultation sessions.
- Work closely with claims departments to enhance litigation cost control.
- Provide consultation and training on legal bill review best practices to claim professionals and stakeholders.
- Foster compliance with retention and billing policies through strategic partnerships with law firms.
- Contribute to identifying improvements and removing barriers to team success.
Qualifications
Skills and Competencies
- Minimum 5 years of experience with litigation and legal billing practices, including knowledge of civil court rules and procedures across state and federal courts.
- At least 3 years of legal bill review experience involving multiple lines of business and complex billing scenarios.
- Proficiency with eBilling platforms such as Bottomline’s LegalX and Legal Exchange.
- Experience using AI-enabled legal billing and analytics tools to support accurate reviews and identify irregularities.
- Ability to interpret AI-generated insights and apply legal judgment to validate billing exceptions and optimize costs.
- Strong skills in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Adobe PDF.
- High technical aptitude and adaptability to new systems.
- Ability to work independently, multitask, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- Exceptional organizational skills with attention to detail.
- Strong legal judgment and decision-making capabilities.
- Strategic thinker leveraging data and technology to optimize legal spend.
- Professional communication and interpersonal skills.
- Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and intellectual curiosity.
- Collaborative team player able to work with minimal supervision.
Education
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree in good standing.
Location and Travel
- Primary location: Urbandale, IA.
- Additional locations include Jacksonville, FL; Irving, TX; Glen Allen, VA; West Hartford, CT; Atlanta, GA; Chesterfield, MO; Scottsdale, AZ.
- Minimal travel required.
- Remote work opportunity available.
Additional Information
- Sponsorship is not offered for this role.