Job Description

POSITION INFORMATION 

JOB SUMMARY: This position is responsible for advising the CEO and other executives on strategic initiatives, and represents the company in dealing with clients, external agencies, and regulatory bodies as the primary legal counsel.  Responsible for direction of the company’s internal legal activities and for coordination of work conducted by the company’s external legal counsel on matter relating to the company’s own operations.  In addition this position is responsible for developing and managing the company’s compliance function, ensuring all departments adhere to state/federal regulations, and serves as primary company contact with state/federal legislators and state insurance departments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Responsible for the corporate compliance function
• Monitors and interprets pending and existing laws and regulations, providing guidance to the company on such matters as warranted
• Represents the company for hearings, trials, state insurance departments, and other government bodies
• Provides legal review of various contracts and legal matters affecting the company
• Provides coverage forms review for Claims and Underwriting to ensure clarity and proper interpretation
• Works with outside vendors (AAIS, ISO and Martin & Co.) to file new forms, rates and loss cost multipliers
• Provides guidance on corporate governance matters
• Provides claim coverage opinions on individual cases
• Assists the company with fraud determinations for possible subsequent action
• Provides legal advice and guidance on employment and human resource issues
• Is a trusted advisor, able to build relationships with business partners; collaborate to provide sustainable solutions to legal and business issues arising in ongoing initiatives, programs and contractual negotiations
• Proactively identify potential risks and trends throughout the organization and ensure appropriate and effective risk mitigation strategies are in place
• Advises on various other issues such as privacy, antitrust and competition laws, advertising/promotional matters, fiduciary duties, ethics, sourcing and vendor relationships, and strategic transactions
• Evaluates and optimize use of outside legal resources; selects, evaluates and manages outside counsel as needed adhering to budget
• Stays abreast of changes in laws and regulations impacting the business and communicates to appropriate parties any changes to controls, policies, and procedures
• Provides departmental staff training on matters involving laws and regulations
• Develops standardized legal documents (e.g. Confidentiality Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements)
• Maintains absolute privacy concerning employee or sensitive company related issues
• Performs other duties or special projects as required or as assigned by a supervisor

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING REQUIREMENT: 

• Juris Doctorate of an accredited law school
• Admission and member in good standing of the Maryland Bar

EXPERIENCE: 

• Ten or more years of experience/practice, with three – four years in-house legal department preferred
• Generalist background with broad exposure to multiple legal disciplines, including intellectual property and general corporate experience, real estate law, employment law, and general litigation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: 

• Highly effective and practical legal and business adviser with proven negotiation and critical thinking skills, excellent drafting skills, initiative and a strong work ethic
• Strong problem solving and creative skills and the ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions based on accurate and timely analyses
• Strong collaborating skills, and an ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment with frequent deadlines; high energy, self-motivated and proactive
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to multitask, and be flexible with regard to workload and assignments
• Ability to exercise judgment

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:  The physical demands are minimal and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations. 

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA):  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job duties of the position. 

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.  Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of Westminster American Insurance Company  

Company Description

Westminster American Insurance Company was chartered in Maryland in 1869 as the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Carroll County (also known as “Carroll County Mutual,” or “CCM”). The founding purpose was to protect the financial interests of home and farm owners in rural Carroll County, Maryland. For more than a century, CCM enjoyed modest success as a mutual carrier. In 2005, after acquiring the recently demutualized CCM from state-supervised rehabilitation, new ownership and management renamed the company Westminster American Insurance Company (“WAIC”). All underwriting efforts were refocused on commercial real estate in the Mid-Atlantic region. WAIC was acquired by NI Holdings/Nodak Insurance Group in January 2020, to further diversify NI Holding’s portfolio of products and geographic footprint. With over $64 million in direct written premium, WAIC is a leading insurer of commercial real estate in the Mid-Atlantic, offering business owner’s (BOP), commercial package, and commercial umbrella policies.