Corporate Counsel - Claims Litigation

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

Job summary

MetLife is seeking an attorney to lead high-volume, rules-based matters in the Claims Litigation Unit, integrating AI tools to streamline subpoena, garnishment, and interpleader workflows. The attorney will oversee offshore teams, supervise paralegals, and apply judgment at escalation points while handling disability and life insurance-related litigation and pre-litigation matters.

Strong legal judgment and discretion are required, along with the ability to adapt to a fast-changing legal and

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and exceptional academic credentials.
• Bar admission and ability to register as in-house counsel.
• 4+ years of related litigation or advisory experience with a record of accomplishment.
• Experience using AI tools in substantive legal work.
• Strong attention to detail, sense of urgency, and ability to manage a heavy workload.
• Ability to partner with colleagues and business clients in a high-performance culture.

Responsibilities

• Manage subpoena and garnishment responses with offshore and US paralegal teams.
• Supervise interpleader filings and AI-assisted processes with escalation.
• Advise internal clients on litigation risks and improve processes to mitigate risk.
• Manage end-to-end litigation matters including e-discovery, briefs, budgets, and settlements.

Skills

Legal judgment

Attention to detail

Ability to handle workload

Collaboration with business clients

AI collaboration in legal work

Education

J.D. from accredited law school

Bar admission / in-house counsel eligibility

Tools

AI-assisted document review

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. If you also pride yourself on acting with accountability, transparency, and respect, apply to join our Government & Legal Affairs team today.

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
• ERISA claims litigation 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.

Benefits We Offer

• 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, please click here.

About MetLife

Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in 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 purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. 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.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liabilities.

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