AVP, Claims Counsel

Berkley Small Business Solutions (a Berkley Company); Urbandale (IA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Travel opportunities

Job summary

Berkley Small Business Solutions (a Berkley Company) in Urbandale, IA is seeking a Complex Claims Legal Consultant to act as the organization’s senior technical expert for high-severity casualty claims, delivering advanced legal, coverage, and strategic guidance. The role partners with leadership, outside counsel, and frontline claims staff to mitigate exposure and drive best-in-class performance.

We offer a hybrid work arrangement (four days in the office, one day remote) with opportunities for

Qualifications

• JD required.
• 10+ years of experience with complex casualty claims, litigation, or insurance defense.
• Ability to travel.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and direct strategy for complex, high-exposure, and legally sensitive claim files, including bodily injury, wrongful death, multi-party litigation, complex coverage questions, and contractual risk transfer.
• Provide advanced legal and technical advice to claims staff, leaders, and cross-functional partners, including interpretation of policy language and exposure analysis.
• Lead investigations, evaluations, and reserve recommendations to ensure accuracy, consistency, and defensibility.
• Partner with leadership on emerging legal trends and contribute to process improvements.
• Deliver advanced technical training for casualty claims staff on coverage analysis, jurisdictional updates, and litigation strategy.
• Participate in special projects requiring legal insight and risk mitigation across departments.

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Company Details

Rated Best Places to Work 2020, 2022 and 2024 by Business Insurance, Continental Western Group is a regional property casualty insurance company offering commercial products and services through independent agents in the Midwest. CWG provides unique value through the service provided by our experienced group of employees and independent agents. Since 1886 - Strong, Local and Trusted.

As a Berkley company, we enjoy operational flexibility that allows us to deliver quality coverage solutions. W. R. Berkley Corporation, and all member insurance companies, are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company, and carry Standard & Poor’s Financial Rating of A+ (Strong).

This role is based in one of our locations listed below where we offer a hybrid work schedule with four days in the office; and one day remote where it makes sense to do so.

• Urbandale, IA
• Lincoln, NE

The Company is an equal employment opportunity employer.

#LI-hybrid, #LI-LD1

Responsibilities

As a Complex Claims Legal Consultant, you will serve as the organization’s senior technical expert for high-severity and high-complexity casualty claims, providing advanced legal, coverage, and strategic guidance. You will function as a subject-matter authority on extra-contractual exposures, complex liability matters, emerging legal trends, coverage interpretation, and litigation management. The consultant partners closely with leadership, outside counsel, and front-line claim professionals to mitigate exposure, ensure legal and regulatory compliance, and drive best-in-class technical performance.

What you can expect:

• Culture of innovation, teamwork, supportive colleagues and leaders willing to invest in talent
• Internal mobility opportunities.
• Visibility to senior leaders and partnership with cross functional teams.
• Opportunity to impact change.
• Benefits – competitive compensation, paid time off, comprehensive wellness benefits and programs, employer funded health savings account, profit sharing, 401k, paid parental leave, employee stock purchase plan, tuition assistance and professional continuing education.

We'll count on you to:

• Monitor and direct strategy for complex, high-exposure, and legally sensitive claim files, including matters involving significant bodily injury, wrongful death, multi-party litigation, complex coverage questions, contractual risk transfer, potential bad-faith allegations, toxic tort, public entity liability, and employer's practices liability.
• Provide advanced legal and technical advice to claims staff, leaders, and cross-functional partners, including interpretation of policy language, coverage opinions, exposure analysis, and litigation strategy.
• Conduct detailed case evaluations, participate in pre-trial/roundtable discussions, and guide reserve recommendations ensuring accuracy, consistency, and defensibility.
• Lead oversight and management of extra-contractual and bad-faith exposure files, collaborating with panel counsel and internal stakeholders to mitigate risk.
• Assist in claim file and law firm audits, ensuring adherence to legal, regulatory, and company compliance expectations.
• Partner with leadership on emerging legal trends affecting casualty claims; develop recommendations for process, governance, and policy improvements.
• Lead and deliver advanced technical training for casualty claims staff, including coverage analysis, jurisdictional updates, litigation strategy, and contractual risk transfer.
• Participate in special projects requiring legal insight, including policy language review, litigation management initiatives, and cross-departmental risk mitigation efforts.

Qualifications

What you need to have:

• Juris Doctor (JD) required.
• 10+ years of experience with complex casualty claims, litigation, or insurance defense.
• Ability to travel.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Possess strong customer orientation skills to respond quickly and professionally to customer inquiries.
• Effective project management skills.
• Ability to communicate with all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrate problem-analysis and problem-resolution skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated expertise in complex liability evaluation, litigation management, and advanced coverage analysis.
• Ability to interpret policy language and complex legal documents with a high degree of accuracy.
• Proven ability to mentor and elevate technical skill of claims staff.
• Strong critical thinking, negotiation, and strategic problem-solving skills.
• Ability to handle multiple complex matters simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

What makes you stand out:

• Active law license preferred but not required.
• Advanced industry designations (CPCU, SCLA, AIC) preferred.

Additional Company Details

We do not accept any unsolicited resumes from external recruiting agencies or firms. The company offers a competitive compensation plan and robust benefits package for full time regular employees. The actual salary for this position will be determined by a number of factors, including the scope, complexity and location of the role; the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; and other conditions of employment.

Sponsorship Details

Sponsorship not Offered for this Role