ABOUT THE ROLE A rapidly growing, A+ rated property & casualty insurance carrier is seeking a strategic legal leader to head its in-house Legal & Claim Defense Department. This high-impact executive role will serve as the company’s chief legal advisor while building and scaling a modern legal function that supports an expanding, compliance-driven insurance operation.

Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, guiding legal, litigation, and regulatory strategy. Oversee complex litigation, including bodily injury claims, bad faith allegations, fraud investigations, coverage disputes, and class actions. Negotiate attorney-represented losses and develop practices to prevent excess loss exposure. Manage outside counsel and lead internal legal staff, ensuring quality, consistency, and cost efficiency. Collaborate cross-functionally with Claims, Compliance, and Operations to mitigate risk and respond to regulatory inquiries. Build and mentor a high-performing legal team of attorneys, adjusters, and support staff. Design forward-looking legal operations, policies, and accountability structures that align with growth and regulatory priorities. Stay ahead of emerging trends in bad faith litigation, claims handling standards, and insurance regulation.

Juris Doctor (JD) and active law license (Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, or Tennessee preferred). 10+ years of progressive legal experience with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within insurance. Strong background in insurance defense and non-standard auto insurance. Proven ability to reduce excess loss exposure through sound legal strategy. Hands-on litigation management experience across multiple jurisdictions. Experience leading attorneys, adjusters, and legal support staff. Exceptional negotiation skills, regulatory knowledge, and technical writing ability.

Competitive base salary ($275,000 to $325,000), 401(k) with up to 6% match, Comprehensive health benefits, Paid CLEs, licensing, and professional development, Company-paid lunches, Stability + Growth, years of profitability, A+ rated, continued expansion.