Assistant General Counsel

Job Summary

The Westfield Enterprise Legal Department is looking for a practical, business-minded attorney who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. This Assistant General Counsel position (Group General Counsel) reports to the Managing General Counsel and plays a critical role in advising on a broad range of legal matters that shape and support our growing organization. 

The ideal candidate will have significant employment law experience relating to employee discipline and termination support; performance management advice; policy development and review; discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims; internal investigations; wage and hour compliance; workplace accommodations; leave of absence; etc. 

The ideal candidate will also be experienced in serving as a legal partner supporting strategic objectives and providing counsel on one or more of the following subject matters: cyber security, data governance, corporate policies, governance, underwriting, product development, claims, bad faith, regulatory filings, rate and form submissions, reinsurance, distribution, and market conduct.

We’re seeking someone who combines legal excellence with sound judgment, thrives in complexity and ambiguity, and serves as a trusted advisor in a collaborative team environment.

Job Responsibilities

• Manages various legal affairs of the company including the preparation of recommendations and white papers on legal impacts to business operations and policies based on company actions with a focus on employment-related matters.
• May also provide strategic legal advice on one or more of the following: standard and specialty lines underwriting, product, market conduct, billing, reinsurance, cyber, and/or data governance. Provides strategic legal advice on a broad range of legal subject areas which may specifically include responsibility for one or more areas of legal specialization within the company for corporate matters.
• Updates, apprises, and reports to the senior management on legal matters, compliance, policies and the legal environment on a regular basis and wherever necessary.
• Ensures that organizational legal matters are managed properly, efficiently, and that the relevant and respective stakeholders receive proper advice and guidance to facilitate organizational success.
• Provides counsel, assistance, and support in creation of structures and environment for ethical and legal compliance and supports enforcement of compliance policies that are applicable across multiple business units.
• Drafts, negotiates, analyzes, and reviews a broad range of commercial documents and corporate agreements, legal memoranda, letters, and other legal documents.
• Ensures that the organization has adhered to its constitution and by-laws as well as the laws and regulations of the applicable jurisdictions.
• Develops strategies to resolve a wide variety of investigations, litigation and pre-litigation disputes relating to corporate and commercial issues.
• Promotes, monitors, and reports upon compliance with company-wide policies and procedures and takes immediate corrective action as required.
• Keeps informed of insurance-specific regulations that impact the company and ensures that appropriate risk management strategies are in place and creates associations of trust and respect with key stakeholders.

Job Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience in practicing Law.

• Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited U.S. law school.

Location

• Hybrid – defined as working three or more days per week in the office if the employee’s residence is within 50 miles of Westfield Center, OH; or Remote – if the employee resides more than 50 miles from Westfield Center, OH.

Licenses and Certifications

• Licensed to practice law Ohio or immediate ability to obtain corporate counsel certification.

Behavioral Competencies

• Manages Ambiguity
• Collaborates
• Communicates Effectively
• Customer Focus
• Decision Quality
• Nimble Learning
• Business Insight
• Ensures Accountability
• Manages Complexity

Technical Skills

• Employment Law

• Data Analysis

• Legal Documentation

• Legal Risk Assessment

• Case Management

• Jurisprudence 

• Legal Advice

• Legal Research

• Negotiation

• Regulatory Requirements

• Stakeholder Management

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed in this role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, skills, responsibilities, knowledge, etc. These may be subject to change and additional functions may be assigned as needed by management.