Director & Senior Counsel, Complex Claims

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The work we do at Markel gives people the confidence to move forward and seize opportunities, and you’ll find your fit amongst our global community of optimists and problem-solvers. We’re always pushing each other to go further because we believe that when we realize our potential, we can help others reach theirs. Join us and play your part in something special!

This position will be an acknowledged technical expert in Markel Claims, responsible for resolving claims posing the highest exposure to the company. The position will have significant autonomy. The position will act as a leader and resource to other examiners and managers in the Casualty Claims division and will provide legal and claims support to the Casualty underwriting business partners.

• Manage a full case load of the most complex/high exposure claims within Casualty Claims with minimal oversight and direction
• Analyze coverage, communicate coverage positions and manage related coverage litigation
• Proactively manage outside counsel to control legal strategy and expense spend
• Perform various legal functions such as jury verdict research, negotiations and coverage analyses to reduce the reliance on outside counsel for monitoring and overage
• Conduct, coordinate, and direct investigation into underlying litigation and come up with strategy for resolution
• Evaluate information on coverage, liability, and damages to determine the extent of insured's exposure and set/propose reserves in line with analysis
• Negotiate and settle claims, where appropriate or provide supported recommendations for trying claims, where appropriate
• Prepare reports as required for underwriting, claims and senior management
• Assist in training and mentoring of claims examiners and managers in Casualty Claims
• Support underwriting by advising on contractual wordings and legal issues related to policy issuance
• Regularly present to underwriting and claims on pertinent topics regarding developments in coverage and the US litigation landscape
• Serve as technical resource to subordinates and others in Markel Claims
• Participate in special projects or assists other team members as requested
• Work with other departments within Markel including Claims Vendor Management, Actuarial, Underwriting, Finance, IT and Risk Management as an official representative from Casualty Claims
• Travel to mediations, trials, and conferences as required
• Manage more junior associates on the Casualty Claims team, where required
• Adheres to Fair Claims Practices regulations and internal Claims Quality Performance Objectives

• Law degree preferred

• Must have or be eligible to receive claims adjuster license
• Admitted to practice law in at least one state

• Minimum of 10+ years of claims handling and management experience or equivalent combination of education and experience

• Superior claims technical skills and a strong understanding for product lines being directed
• Strong understanding of insurance policy types across product lines, with a particular expertise in Casualty wordings and coverages
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Ability to deliver outstanding customer service to both internal and external customers
• Ability to work collaboratively and in a team environment
• Ability to work autonomously and requiring minimal direction/oversight
• Ability to take initiative and think strategically and creatively
• Ability to excel under pressure and in high-intensity situations
• Leadership abilities and a willingness to assist in the development and mentoring of other associates in Casualty Claims
• Strong desire for continuous improvement
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office products (Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Word)

US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.

The base salary offered for the successful candidate will be based on compensable factors such…