Legal Counsel, Insurance Claims

LEGAL COUNSEL, INSURANCE CLAIMS

Reporting to the Director, Claims, the Legal Counsel, Insurance Claims acts as a strategic member within a team of insurance professionals managing claims, risk management, and general insurance services delivery for the our members (Municipalities and non-profits). Alberta Municipalities provides Insurance products and services through a licensed insurance brokerage that is responsible for underwriting, claims management, and risk management activities related to all products purchased or accessed by our members.

Alberta Municipalities also manages a licensed Insurance Reciprocal Exchange which underwrites various Property & Casualty products. The Legal Counsel, Insurance Claims will work closely with the in-house claims examiners to oversee claims litigation and manage external legal resources for more complex files.

Classification                                                                         Position Term

Level 8 - Executive Director                                                 Permanent – Full time

Know-How

Practical/ Technical Knowledge 

• A law degree (LLB or JD) from a recognized post secondary institution
• Registered and in good standing with the Law Society of Alberta
• 3 - 5 years of progressive legal experience in insurance claims management, mediation, litigation.
• Thorough knowledge of insurance legislation and the Municipal Government Act in Alberta.
• Trial experience is an asset.
• Experience working with Municipal insurance claims.

Planning, Organizing and Integrating

• Experience in managing a legal team through claims files.
• Strong organizational and project management skills to initiate and implement initiatives and coordinate multiple activities
• Excellent attention to detail

Communicating and Influencing Skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to coach, mentor, mediate and use tact and diplomacy to resolve sensitive matters.
• The ability to interact with municipal administrators to discuss their concerns, and inform them of their requirements in respect to the defense of claims
• Ability to manage third-party service providers to resolve claims in a timely manner.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for handling assigned insurance defense files from beginning to conclusion.
• Work with the insurance claims team when further investigation is required for claims files and to provide pro-active solutions to achieve early file resolution.
• Research and advise claims department on issues impacting a claim.
• Prepare and deliver reports providing recommendations on liability assessments and file management strategies.
• Use the civil procedure rules to compel plaintiff documentation and early discovery dates.
• Draft opinions, pleadings, affidavits and other documents supporting motion applications, mediation briefs and pre-trial memorandum.
• Prepare and conduct applications/motions, discoveries, mediation arbitrations, pre-trail conferences and judicial dispute resolutions and trials.
• Work closely with external council to manage the process and timely conclusion to larger claims files.
• Prepare and present legal education seminars to the claims department.
• Conducts necessary and appropriate questioning, mediations, Judicial Dispute Resolutions trials and similar proceedings. Researches the law applicable to cases or matters. Drafts legal documents, pleadings, motions, and briefs as required and conducts settlement negotiations and trials.
• Advises, communicates, and confers with claims examiners as appropriate, rendering clear, unambiguous legal opinions and advice.
• Uses Litigation Protocols to develop and revise appropriate legal strategy for discovery, investigation, handling, and trial/hearing of cases.                

Core Competencies

Member Focus (Level 4)

• Anticipates future internal and external customer needs and incorporates them into goal setting, products, and services.
• Identifies new opportunities for developing new internal and external customer bases.
• Prioritizes and continuously communicates the importance of exceptional customer service.
• Forms strategic relationships with other organizations in order to improve the customer experience.
• Fosters a service orientation in the organization's management team.
• Designs processes with the customer experience top of mind.

Relationship Building (Level 4)

• Builds and maintains strategic alliances with all business units in the organization and works together to achieve business goals.
• Fosters a culture that supports intra-departmental relationships throughout the organization to break down silos and barriers.
• Develops professional connections with associates or customers and effectively and appropriately uses the relationships to expand business network and achieve work-related goals.
• Uses deep understanding f their network to establish and activate connnections between peoplein order to create value and make the organization stronger.

Communication (Level 4)

• Sets and exemplifies standards for respectful and effective communications in the organization.
• Comfortably delivers strategic messages supporting their function and the organization at the enterprise level.
• Communicates with senior-level executives on complex organizational issues.
• Promotes inter-departmental communication and transparency.
• Achieves buy-in and consensus from people who share widely different views.
• Shares complex messages in clear, understandable language.
• Accurately interprets how they are perceived by others.
• Rallies employees to communicate ideas and share differing perspectives to drive innovation.

Dynamic Learning Mindset (Level 4)

• Drives analysis of the workforce knowledge and skills required to effectively deliver on the organization's strategy.
• Creates and promotes a coaching culture.
• Makes development and continuous learning a priority by providing resources and support.
• Establishes an environment that enables and celebrates learning from both successes and failures.
• Sets the standards for leadership development.
• Serves as a role model by actively engaging in lifelong learning and seeking feedback.
• Uses experience to fuel growth and identify past tactics that no longer fit the context.

Teamwork and Collaboration (Level 4)

• Creates a culture of collaboration among teams, departments, external business partners, and all employee levels.
• Breaks down silos to achieve inter-departmental collaboration.
• Demonstrates ownership and accountability for team/department/organizational outcomes.
• Uses an inclusive and consultative approach in setting team goals and objectives, and making team decisions.
• Coaches managers on how to identify and proactively mitigate potential points of team conflict.
• Recognizes and rewards teamwork throughout the organization.
• Provides the tools and resources necessary for teams to succeed.
• Values diverse teams and understands the importance of differing perspectives to develop unique solutions or ideas.

Problem Solving and Decision Making (Level 4)

• Prioritizes objective and ambiguous information, and analyzes this when making decisions.
• Solicits a diverse range of opinions and perspectives as inputs to decision making.
• Applies frameworks to decision making, particularly in situations that have little base in prior experience.
• Makes effective decisions about organizational priorities.
• Holds others accountable for their decisions and consequences.
• Creates a culture of empowerment and trust to facilitate effective problem solving and decision making.
• Makes sound decisions that have organization-wide consequences and that influence future direction.

Leadership Competencies

Strategic Leadership and Execution (Level 3)

• Collaborates with organization leaders to establish long-term strategy and establishes aligned departmental goals.
• Takes accountability for strategic goals and plans at the department level.
• Anticipates and mitigates obstacles and business disruptions.
• Analyzes departmental strengths and weaknesses, then develops and implements appropriate action plans.
• Presents strong business cases for initiatives and resource allocation.
• Clearly communicates team/department goals internally and externally.
• Monitors the alignment between the organization's vision, mission, and values and workplace decisions.
• Seeks out, encourages, and incorporates a diverse set of perspectives when making decisions.
• Encourages others to reflect and plan before immediately jumping into action.
• Recognizes when they are not the most knowledgeable; identifies and supports informal leaders with decision-making authority.

People Leadership (Level 3)

• Demonstrates accountability for team outcomes, and develops an environment of accountability in others.
• Coaches others to improve, develop, and become more confident in their capabilities.
• Pays attention to employee engagement and morale, and seeks out opportunities for improvement.
• Effectively balances people needs with strategic and operational business priorities.
• Encourages others to take on the role of leader, when appropriate, creating space for the others to lead.
• Coaches direct reports to mindfully examine their own performance and employee experience.
• Fosters excitement and enthusiasm in employees by appropriately recognizing and rewarding organizational, team, and individual successes.
• Effectively addresses complex performance management issues.

Culture Management (Level 3)

• Behaves in a way that is consistent with the organization's values.
• Inspires others to embody the organization's core values.
• Encourages collaboration and inclusion to leverage the collective strengths of the organization's talent.
• Holds employees at all levels accountable for behavior that is consistent with organizational values.
• Visibly encourages other managers and executives to lead by example.
• Organizes inter-departmental initiatives to enhance and improve upon the organization's culture.
• Enables a culture in which individuals may self-identify as the suitable leader for a task or initiative.