Corporate Counsel

AXIS (AXIS Capital); New York (NY); On-site; USD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

AXIS Capital is seeking a Corporate Counsel to serve as a generalist supporting the Corporate Secretary’s team, GC, and the broader Legal Team. You will advise internal clients across Finance, HR, Investments, Tax, Treasury, and Vendor Management, with interactions at senior management and Board levels.

The ideal candidate has strong judgment, great communication, and collaboration skills to thrive in a close-knit team and contribute across and beyond Legal.

Qualifications

• Accredited law school graduate with strong academics.
• Licensed to practice law and in good standing.
• Minimum of three to five years of securities and public company reporting experience in a law firm or in-house corporate legal department.

Responsibilities

• Prepare Board/committee agendas, materials, written resolutions, and minutes for AXIS Capital Holdings Limited and global subsidiaries.
• Manage governance documentation, corporate records, and organizational charts for global entities.
• Maintain governance charters, policies, and insider trading / pre-clearance programs.
• Distribute Board materials via Board portal and support governance processes.
• Support director onboarding, independence assessments, governance reviews, and NYSE compliance.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial and outsourcing agreements.
• Review investment management and non-disclosure agreements.
• Provide practical legal advice on contractual, governance, regulatory, and risk matters.
• Lead or support SEC reporting (8-K, 10-K, 10-Q, proxies, registrations) and EDGAR filings.
• Prepare and file Section 16 forms and manage related filing codes.
• Maintain D&O questionnaires and director information; support annual governance processes.
• Assist with annual shareholder meeting logistics and proxy disclosures.
• Advise on investor relations messaging (earnings, press releases, presentations).
• Monitor SEC regulations, NYSE standards, and governance best practices.
• Assist with disclosure controls, insider trading compliance, and Regulation FD.
• Provide legal support for sustainability reporting (TCFD, SASB).
• Assist with IP/trademark matters as requested.
• Support Treasury on banking facilities and related governance matters.
• Improve legal forms, processes, governance practices; support offerings and corporate transactions.
• Assist with executive/director compensation and equity plan disclosures; Code of Conduct training.

Education

Accredited law school graduate with strong academics

Licensed to practice law and in good standing

Minimum of three to five years of securities and public company reporting experience in a law firm or in-house corporate legal department

Job description

This is your opportunity to join AXIS Capital – a trusted global provider of specialty lines insurance and reinsurance. We stand apart for our outstanding client service, intelligent risk taking and superior risk adjusted returns for our shareholders. We also proudly maintain an entrepreneurial, disciplined and ethical corporate culture. As a member of AXIS, you join a team that is among the best in the industry.

At AXIS, we believe that we are only as strong as our people. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming culture where employees of all backgrounds and from all walks of life feel comfortable and empowered to be themselves. This means that we bring our whole selves to work.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic, including age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any basis prohibited by the laws that govern its operations.

Job Description: Corporate Counsel

What will you do in this role?

As Corporate Counsel, you will serve as a legal generalist supporting the Corporate Secretary’s team, the General Counsel, and the broader Legal Team. You will provide legal support to a wide range of internal clients across the AXIS group, including Finance, Human Resources, Investments, Tax, Treasury, and Vendor Management. The role involves significant independent interaction with senior management and the Board of Directors. As such, it requires exceptional judgment, attention to detail, strong technical skills, and excellent communication and interpersonal abilities. The ideal candidate will be energetic, adaptable, resourceful, and highly collaborative—able to thrive within a close‑knit team and contribute to initiatives across and beyond the Legal Department. Additional duties and responsibilities may be assigned as appropriate to the role.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Corporate Governance

• Prepare agendas, materials, written resolutions, and minutes for Board and committee meetings for AXIS Capital Holdings Limited and global subsidiaries.
• Manage governance documentation for global entities, including corporate records and organizational charts.
• Maintain governance charters, policies, and procedures, including the Company's insider trading, pre‑clearance, and disclosure‑related programs.
• Assist with distribution of Board materials through the Board portal and support Board and committee governance processes.
• Support director onboarding, independence assessments, governance reviews, and compliance with applicable NYSE governance requirements.

Commercial and Strategic Legal Support

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial and outsourcing agreements.
• Review and negotiate other agreements, including investment management and non‑disclosure agreements.
• Provide practical legal advice to business stakeholders on contractual, governance, regulatory, and risk management matters.

Securities Law And Public Company Advisory

• Lead or support corporate and securities law matters, including SEC reporting (Forms 8‑K, 10‑K, 10‑Q, proxy statements, registration statements, and other Exchange Act filings).
• Prepare and file Section 16 forms (3, 4, and 5) and manage EDGAR and SEC filing codes.
• Maintain D&O questionnaires and director information and support annual governance processes.
• Support preparation and logistics for the annual shareholder meeting, including proxy statement disclosures and related governance matters.
• Advise on investor relations communications, including earnings materials, press releases, presentations, and internal and external messaging.
• Monitor and advise on developments in SEC regulations, NYSE listing standards, and corporate governance best practices.
• Assist with disclosure controls and procedures, insider trading compliance, Regulation FD matters, and other public company governance initiatives.

Sustainability

• Provide legal support for sustainability initiatives, including annual TCFD and SASB reporting and related disclosures.

Intellectual Property

• Assist with intellectual property and trademark matters, as requested.

Treasury

• Support Treasury on banking facilities, resolutions, and related corporate governance matters.

Other Responsibilities

• Help improve legal forms, processes, governance practices, and procedures.
• Support securities offerings, financing transactions, and other strategic corporate transactions, including related governance, disclosure, and regulatory matters.
• Assist with executive and director compensation matters, equity plan administration, and related disclosure obligations.
• Manage the annual Code of Conduct training and certification program.

About You:

Required Education/Training & Experience:

• Accredited law school graduate with strong academics
• Licensed to practice law and in good standing
• Minimum of three to five years of securities and public company reporting experience in a law firm or in‑house corporate legal department

Role Factors:

This role is based in New York, New York and requires being in the office 3 days per week.

What we offer:

For this position, we currently expect to offer a base salary in the range of $160,000 - $230,000. Your salary offer will be based on an assessment of a variety of factors including your specific experience and work location. In addition, you will be offered competitive target incentive compensation, with awards based on overall corporate and individual performance. On top of this, you will be eligible for a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes medical plans for you and your family, health and wellness programs, retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, and much more.

Where this role is based in the United States of America, this role is Exempt for FLSA purposes.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.