Corporate Claims Counsel Duties: Responsible for providing high-quality legal counsel and advice to the claim department and other business partners relative to matters involving claim and litigation management, insurance coverage, and various company initiatives. Provide legal advice and counsel to the claim department, including coverage opinions, consultation on claim-handling, litigation handling and procedure, trial strategy, and settlements. Assist claims department personnel to better and more cost-effectively manage active claims and, where necessary or appropriate, avoid and/or manage litigation. Monitor and help manage coverage, bad faith and other litigation by or against Selective entities. Draft formal legal opinions. Help formulate and implement company initiatives, including but not limited to those involving document management, automated correspondence, national coordinating counsel and other programs as they may arise. Help select and manage panel and staff counsel. Assist other Claims Legal and Corporate Legal counsel in evaluating and responding to various state insurance department and other regulatory inquiries, requests and administrative actions. Participate in the decision-making process regarding the retention and selection of expert witnesses and other experts and consultants. Review pleadings, motions and other court filings as necessary. Draft appropriate settlement agreements, releases, coverage letters and other correspondence and documentation. Provide insight into court decisions rendered in given jurisdictions, new developments in the law, court rules, the judiciary, the legal environment and trends, and adversary counsel. Work closely with attorneys in the Corporate Legal Group on matters of underwriting, relationships with agencies and insureds, initiation and defense of litigation and other matters as they may arise. Work closely with non-claims partners on analysis of existing coverages and policy forms and development and drafting of new coverages and forms. Furnish legal advice and opinions on issues involving additional insured status and contractual indemnification. Recommend the most appropriate legal strategy to resolve suits involving coverage and extra-contractual demands as well as defense of insureds. Attend motions, hearings, depositions and trials as may be necessary. Prepare and present workshops, seminars and other sessions on issues of coverage analysis, claim handling, litigation handling, developments in the law, and other matters as they may arise. Manage the company's response to records subpoenas to ensure compliance with court rules while protecting confidential, privileged and other sensitive materials as appropriate. Help devise, maintain and apply metrics to assess the effectiveness, cost savings and other performance of Claims Legal and other personnel. Prepare reports, timesheets and other documents as necessary for proper management and operation of claim department. Establish and maintain effective communication with business partners and other company personnel. Other appropriate responsibilities as they may arise in the ordinary course of business.

Requirements: Bachelor's degree and JD required. 10+ years of experience practicing law. Currently licensed in NJ or another state. Experience at an insurance defense firm and/or a property and casualty carrier is a plus. A broad range of management and technical skills, strong analytical skills; excellent interpersonal and customer service oriented skills with the ability to foster teamwork and shared ownership. Must be facile with computer systems such as Word and Outlook, and must be experienced in computerized legal research (such as, Lexis or Westlaw). Travel required. Click here for additional job information.

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