Corporate Counsel - Claims Litigation

MetLif; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 134,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid in-office schedule

401(k) with employer matching

Company-paid life insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and

Job summary

MetLife in New York, NY seeks a senior attorney to lead the Claims Litigation Unit initiative, overseeing subpoena/garnishment responses and interpleader processes with AI support. The role includes handling benefits-related litigation, advising business areas, supervising outside counsel, and applying judgment to complex matters.

The candidate will manage escalation thresholds, supervise offshore teams, and advance a strategy-focused, risk-aware approach to litigation within a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school with strong academics.
• Active state bar admission and eligibility for in-house counsel.
• 4+ years of litigation or related experience with AI usage.
• Proven ability to handle a substantial workload with judgment and discretion.

Responsibilities

• Manage subpoena and garnishment responses, overseeing offshore and US paralegal teams.
• Supervise interpleader filings and related paralegal work with AI assistance.
• Advise internal clients on litigation risks and mitigation opportunities.
• Manage end-to-end litigation matters, including e-discovery, briefs, budgets, and outside counsel.

Skills

Legal judgment

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Adaptability

Client counseling

Education

J.D. from accredited law school

Admission to state bar

Tools

AI-assisted document review platforms

Matter management systems

Legal hold systems

Job description

In Government & Legal Affairs, you'll be an engaged and trusted partner - empowered to deliver innovative solutions, influence public policy, and achieve results that enable MetLife’s growth and protect its global interests. Applying a commercial and contemporary mindset, you'll advocate for what’s possible, overcome challenges, and embrace different perspectives.

The Opportunity

The position is in the Claims Litigation Unit of the Litigation Section. The attorney in this position will lead a shift for high-volume, rules-based matters -- subpoena and garnishment responses, interpleader filings -- to a delivery model in which AI is applied to the work, trained non-attorney specialists run the process, and attorney judgment is applied at defined exception and escalation points. The attorney will oversee MetLife's subpoena, garnishment and interpleader processes, setting escalation thresholds that determine what an attorney must review, directing the offshore team and U.S. paralegals who operate the process. Escalated and significant matters -- investigatory and enforcement subpoena's, negotiations with counsel over witness affidavits and depositions, contested interpleaders will be handled by the attorney.

In parallel, the attorney will handle a caseload of litigation and pre-litigation matters arising from claims for benefits under MetLife's disability and life insurance benefit products, including group disability, group life, long-term care, accident and health and dental. The attorney will provide advice to several key business areas including U.S. Business and Claims and will supervise outside counsel handling the lawsuits. In that work, AI is a working collaborator allowing the attorney to focus on strategy, advocacy, negotiation and judgment.

The successful candidate will bring excellent legal judgment, a high degree of discretion, the intellectual curiosity to track a fast-changing legal and technological landscape, and a strong commitment to personal growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage MetLife's subpoena and garnishment responses, including supervision of primary offshore team preparing responses and US paralegals, including assisting with escalated or significant investigatory or enforcement subpoenas and preparing witnesses to testify when necessary.
• Supervise the interpleader process by which MetLife submits a filing for a court to decide a disputed beneficiary issue for life insurance benefits and supervise the paralegal team who prepare and handle interpleaders with the assistance of AI.
• Advise internal business clients with respect to risks presented by actual and threatened litigation, manage and resolve those risks, identify opportunities to improve processes and practices to mitigate risk
• Manage litigation matters end-to-end, including e-discovery obligations, research and writing, reviewing briefs, managing outside counsel, developing, and executing cost effective litigation strategy, review budgets and outside counsel invoices, negotiate settlements.

Required Qualifications

• J.D. from accredited law school and excellent academic credentials
• Admission to a state bar and ability to register as in-house counsel
• 4+ years of related experience reflecting a record of accomplishment
• Demonstrated experience using AI tools in substantive legal work
• Demonstrated record of attention to detail, sense of urgency, and ability to handle a substantial workload
• Willingness to partner with colleagues and business clients to contribute to the success of the Litigation Section, Legal Affairs and MetLife, ability to thrive as both a team member and an individual contributor in a high performance culture

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supervising, training, or coordinating paralegals, offshore teams, or other resources
• Subpoena response, discovery and e-discovery skills and experience
• Interpleader practice and federal court litigation experience
• Hands-on experience with AI-assisted document review platforms or legal generative AI tools and with matter management, legal hold, or document management systems
• Experience designing or documenting legal processes, SOPs, playbooks, or intake models

Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.

The expected salary range for this position is $133,500 - $177,900. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.

Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more! For more information regarding MetLife’s U.S. benefits,

About MetLife

Recognizedon Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies",Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companiesto Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of theworld’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities,employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutionalcustomers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positionsin the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

As part of our New Frontier strategy, MetLife is building an AI-enabled, people-centered future. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, adaptability, and a growth mindset as we use AI to enhance how we serve customers, support communities, and evolve the way work gets done. At MetLife, AI is a responsible partner that supports human judgment, creativity, and continuous improvement while helping us build trust, inclusion, and long-term value.

Our purposeis simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world atlarge create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our corevalues - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, andThink Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financialservices. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible . Join us!

MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”). If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at [e-mail]. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process. MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.

This posting is for a current vacancy and is anticipated to remain open for at least 90 days from the listed posting date.