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Our Business

Selective is a midsized U.S. domestic property and casualty insurance company with a history of strong financial performance for over 95 years. Focused on exceptional employee and customer experience, we are frequently recognized for awards and honors, including being named to Forbes’ 2021 Best Workplaces in Financial Services and Insurance list.

Our Culture

We genuinely care about each other, our customers, and the communities in which we operate. Our leaders actively champion career development and invite us to voice unique ideas and diverse perspectives. If that sounds appealing, we think you would feel inspired on our team to achieve and be rewarded for extraordinary results.

The Role:

The Vice President Assistant General Counsel, Litigation is a key strategic leader in the Legal team who provides support to the Claims Department on coverage and extra-contractual/excess policy claims litigation and the executive management team on corporate litigation. Principal responsibility will be to provide timely and appropriate legal advice and opinions about litigation matters, including (i) coverage provided under Selective’s insurance policies and related litigation, (ii) corporate litigation, (iii) determining and tracking appropriate litigation metrics, and (iv) managing outside counsel. They will be a leader in the Legal Department and work collaboratively with other Legal and Compliance team members, Claims, and outside counsel.

Essential Functions:

• Provides timely and appropriate legal advice, counsel, and leadership to executive management on litigation matters, including hiring, monitoring, strategizing with, and managing outside counsel, and reporting on cases involving Selective, including:
  • Extra-contractual and bad faith claims;
  • Large loss claims;
  • SIU and subrogation claims;
  • Employment claims;
  • Creditor and debtor claims;
  • Staff counsel conflict and ethical issues; and
  • Corporate litigation and other corporate (non-Claims) matters with litigation and reputational risk.
• Manages and provides legal advice on service of process and civil procedure matters, including determining operation efficiencies in the refinement and execution of processes for receipt, review, and preparation of complaints and other first-served pleadings, subpoenas, discovery and witness production, and witness preparation.
• As requested, directs or participates in corporate investigations and inquiries related to state Department of Insurance investigations.
• Provides timely and appropriate legal advice on issues involving coverage, the duty to defend insureds, putative additional insureds, and related claims for indemnification.
• Advises Insurance Operations on various underwriting matters, including policy reformation and risk transfer.
• Provides timely and appropriate legal advice on panel counsel selection for defense, coverage, and extra-contractual matters. Works in collaboration with the Deputy General Counsel and the General Counsel to maintain our approved counsel list.
• Develops and provides/supervises client training on claims and underwriting legal issues.
• Fosters collaboration, partnership, and communication to achieve departmental, client, and enterprise goals. Believes the team is more powerful than the individual.

Knowledge and Requirements:

• Excellent understanding of litigation strategy and execution, and property casualty insurance and coverage legal issues

• Extensive experience evaluating cases and managing litigation and related matters

• Exceptional problem-solving skills

• High emotional intelligence and demonstrated good judgment

• Command executive presence and exceptional communication skills – both written and verbal – with proven ability to make complex legal concepts clear to non-lawyers

• Excellent analytical skills

• Proven track record of earning and keeping the trust of clients and colleagues

Education and Experience:

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school

• Minimum of 10 years of experience practicing law, with an extensive background at law firm(s) or insurer(s) handling or supervising civil litigation

• Litigation experience required

• Licensed to practice law in at least one US jurisdiction, preferably NJ or NY, and eligibility for NJ in-house counsel limited license

• 3+ years of experience managing lawyers and support staff

Selective is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. That means we respect and value every individual’s unique opinions, beliefs, abilities, and perspectives. We are committed to promoting a welcoming culture that celebrates diverse talent, individual identity, different points of view and experiences – and empowers employees to contribute new ideas that support our continued and growing success. Building a highly engaged team is one of our core strategic imperatives, which we believe is enhanced by diversity, equity, and inclusion. We expect and encourage all employees and all of our business partners to embrace, practice, and monitor the attitudes, values, and goals of acceptance; address biases; and foster diversity of viewpoints and opinions.

Selective maintains a drug-free workplace.

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