Labor & Employment Associate – Cozen O'Connor

Cozen O'Connor; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Cozen O’Connor seeks an Insurance Coverage Associate for remote work in Texas. The role requires 3–5 years of significant coverage experience, and admission to the Texas Bar; residency in Texas is required for remote arrangement.

You will analyze coverage across multiple lines, draft opinions, and litigate first- and third-party claims, including bad faith matters, while advising carriers on policy interpretation and risk strategy.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of significant insurance coverage experience required.
• Experience analyzing coverage, preparing coverage opinions, and litigating first- and third-party claims.
• Litigation experience including taking depositions, attending court conferences, and drafting and arguing motions.
• Texas Bar membership is required; residency in Texas for remote arrangement.

Responsibilities

• Analyze insurance coverage issues across multiple lines of business.
• Draft coverage opinions to guide insurers on duties.
• Litigate first- and third-party claims, including bad faith matters.
• Take depositions, attend court conferences, and draft/argue motions.
• Advise carriers on complex policy interpretation and risk strategy.

Skills

Insurance coverage analysis

Litigation experience

Deposition & trial experience

Legal writing

Texas Bar

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

This opportunity was posted more than 30 days ago and no application deadline was provided. You can explore active listings below.

Insurance Coverage Associate – Remote (Texas) at Cozen O'Connor

Organising Institution / Firm

Rolling Basis (Official)

Texas, United States (Remote)

Not Specified

Attorney with 3-5 years of significant insurance coverage experience; candidates located in Texas may be considered for a remote work arrangement. Must have experience analyzing insurance coverage, preparing coverage opinions, and litigating first and third party claims concerning multiple lines of coverage and bad faith claims. Must have litigation experience including taking depositions, attending court conferences, and drafting and arguing motions. Strong research and writing skills and excellent academic credentials are required. Texas Bar required. Deposition and trial experience preferred but not essential.

Job

Full Opportunity Brief

For attorneys practicing insurance law, few names carry the weight of Cozen O'Connor. The firm's Global Insurance Department has become a magnet for lawyers who want to master the intricate interplay between policy language, bad faith exposure, and complex litigation. Now, with an opening for an Insurance Coverage Associate – Remote (Texas), this is a rare chance to join an elite practice group from anywhere in the Lone Star State. The position offers not just a job, but a pathway to becoming a coverage law specialist at a firm that literally wrote the book on insurance advocacy.

Cozen O’Connor’s Global Insurance Machine: Why This Hire Matters

Cozen O’Connor is internationally recognized as a leader in insurance coverage and claims. The firm’s coverage team consists of more than 125 dedicated coverage attorneys across 15 offices, handling matters for insurers, reinsurers, third-party administrators, managing general agents, brokers, and independent adjustment companies. This breadth means an associate in Texas will work alongside some of the most sophisticated coverage practitioners in the United States.

With more than 125 dedicated coverage attorneys in 15 offices, our coverage team handles complex matters for insurance industry clients across the United States and around the world.

The firm’s practice areas include Bad Faith, Casualty & Specialty Lines Coverage, Professional Liability Insurance Coverage, Property, and Strategic Risk & Complex Litigation. For an associate, this translates into exposure to diverse coverage disputes, from first-party property claims to third-party liability and emerging bad faith theories.

Understanding the Day-to-Day: What an Insurance Coverage Associate Does

This is not a document review role. The job description demands a lawyer who can hit the ground running:

• Analyzing insurance coverage issues across multiple lines of business
• Preparing coverage opinions that guide insurers on their duties
• Litigating first and third-party claims, including bad faith matters
• Taking depositions, attending court conferences, and drafting/arguing motions
• Advising carriers on complex policy interpretation and risk strategy

In practice, a coverage associate often serves as the bridge between the insurer's business goals and the courtroom. You will review commercial general liability, professional liability, property, and possibly cyber or D&O policies. You will draft coverage position letters and reservation of rights letters, and when disputes escalated, you will represent the insurer in state or federal court. Texas is a particularly active jurisdiction for insurance coverage litigation, so the remote nature of the role does not diminish its intensity.

The Ideal Candidate: Experience, Skills, and Requirements

Cozen O’Connor is looking for an attorney with 3-5 years of significant insurance coverage experience. The phrase 'significant' is important; this is not an entry-level role. The firm expects candidates to have already developed a specialty in coverage analysis and to have handled litigation independently.

Key qualifications from the posting include:

• 3-5 years’ experience in insurance coverage, including analyzing and litigating claims
• Coverage opinion drafting and first/third-party claim litigation
• Strong research and writing skills and excellent academic credentials
• Texas Bar membership is required (no exceptions listed)
• Residency in Texas is required for remote arrangement
• Deposition and trial experience preferred, but not essential

Notice that the job function listed by LinkedIn is 'Sales and Business Development,' which can be misleading. In a law firm context, this typically reflects business development duties inherent to a mid-senior associate role—attending client meetings, participating in marketing efforts, and helping grow the practice. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate not only legal acumen but also an ability to cultivate client relationships.

Crafting a Winning Application for the Remote Texas Role

If you meet the requirements, your application needs to distinguish you from a nationwide pool of coverage attorneys. Here are strategic suggestions from a legal career perspective:

1. Lead with coverage-specific experience. Instead of a generic resume objective, open with a summary highlighting your coverage opinion count, types of policies handled, and bad faith litigation experience. Use concrete examples: 'Drafted over 50 coverage opinions on CGL and professional liability policies,' or 'First-chair deposed on bad faith extra-contractual liability.'

2. Showcase Texas litigation experience. Since the role requires Texas Bar membership and remote work from Texas, hiring managers will want to see familiarity with Texas courts, Texas Insurance Code, and local rules. Mention any cases in Texas state or federal courts.

3. Emphasize writing quality. Coverage opinions are scrutinized by courts and senior partners. Attach a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to analyze policy language and apply law to facts. If you have a published article on a coverage topic, include it.

4. Prepare for behavioral questions. Expect questions like, 'Tell me about a coverage dispute where you changed the outcome,' or 'How do you handle an insured’s bad faith allegation?' Use the STAR method to structure your answers around the firm’s core practice areas.

Finally, leverage your network. Referrals reportedly increase your chances of an interview at Cozen O’Connor by 2x, according to LinkedIn. If you know any current or former Cozen attorneys, ask for a warm introduction rather than applying cold.

The Remote Work Advantage and What It Means for Your Career

Remote legal roles at elite firms remain rare, and this posting signals a progressive approach by Cozen O’Connor. For an associate, remote work offers flexibility, but it also demands self-discipline and excellent written communication. You will need to be proactive in seeking feedback and visibility with partners. Coverage law is relationship-driven, and even as a remote attorney, you should plan to attend occasional in-person depositions or conferences in Texas.

From a career trajectory standpoint, this position is a springboard. Attorneys who spend several years in coverage litigation at a top firm often become highly sought-after partners, in-house counsel at major insurance companies, or external legal advisors for managing general agents. The analytical rigor required—interpreting ambiguous policy triggers, allocation of damages, and bad faith exposure—makes you a sharper lawyer across all commercial litigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this a fully remote position?
A: Yes, candidates located in Texas may be considered for a remote work arrangement. However, you must be based in Texas and admitted to the Texas Bar. Occasional court appearances or depositions may require in-person attendance depending on the matter.

Q: What types of insurance policies will I handle?
A: The role covers multiple lines of coverage, including casualty, specialty lines, professional liability, and property. You will also handle bad faith claims, which are a significant part of Cozen’s practice.

Q: Is there a deadline for applying?
A: No formal application deadline has been published. LinkedIn indicates the job was posted recently, and applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. It is best to apply as soon as possible.

Q: I am a 5th-year attorney but with less coverage experience. Should I apply?
A: If you have a strong coverage foundation and can demonstrate analytical excellence, it may still be worth applying. The firm explicitly asks for 3-5 years of significant coverage experience, so your resume should clearly show equivalent coverage-related work.