Product Underwriting Counsel (Remote)

First American; Santa Ana (CA); Remote; USD 98,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

medical

dental

vision

401k

PTO/paid sick leave

employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

First American is seeking a Product Underwriting Counsel to bridge legal and product teams, shaping underwriting protocols and product evolution. You will translate complex title and real estate concepts into actionable guidance for engineers and underwriters, directly impacting product strategy and risk management.

The role requires a law degree, active bar admission, and 3+ years in title underwriting or conveyancing.

Qualifications

• Law degree required.
• Admitted to law practice in appropriate jurisdiction.
• At least three years of direct title insurance underwriting, title counsel, or real estate conveyancing experience.
• Strong understanding of land titles and real estate law.
• Knowledge of federal and state laws related to title insurance and settlement services.
• Some technical aptitude (e.g., novice-level programming language).

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, communicate, and manage title insurance risk for technology features or product lines.
• Execute underwriting vision and strategy for technology features or products.
• Participate in product strategy and planning meetings.
• Assess market competition and identify gaps, threats, and advantages.
• Provide underwriting and real estate expertise to product managers, designers, researchers, and engineers.
• Translate complex title/real estate concepts for product teams and to underwriters.
• Advise on product roadmap priorities and strategies.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Legal research

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Education

Juris Doctor (Law Degree)

Tools

Basic programming language

Job description

Who We Are Join a team that puts its People First! Since 1889, First American (NYSE: FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people. They are passionate about what they do, and we are equally passionate about fostering an environment where all feel welcome, supported, and empowered to be innovative and reach their full potential. Our inclusive, people-first culture has earned our company numerous accolades, including being named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for eleven consecutive years. We have also earned awards as a best place to work for women, diversity and LGBTQ+ employees, and have been included on more than 50 regional best places to work lists. First American will always strive to be a great place to work, for all. For more information, please visit www.careers.firstam.com.

What We Do

The Product Underwriting Counsel partners closely with technology and product teams to identify, evaluate, and manage title insurance risk. The position bridges legal, underwriting, and product development functions by translating complex title insurance, real estate, technology, automation, and AI-assisted workflow concepts into actionable guidance that shapes product strategy, underwriting protocols, and product evolution.

What You'll Do

• Identifies, evaluates, communicates, and manages title insurance risk associated with a technology feature, product, or product line.
• Executes the underwriting vision and strategy for a technology feature, product, or product line.
• Participates in planning meetings and product strategy discussions.
• Assesses market competition by cultivating knowledge of competitor products to identify gaps, competitive threats, and competitive advantages.
• Provides underwriting, title insurance, and real estate conveyancing subject matter expertise to product manager(s), designer(s), researcher(s), and engineer(s).
• Translates complex title insurance and real estate concepts into clear ideas accessible to product team members in ways that influence product strategy.
• Translates complex technology product concepts into clear ideas accessible to transaction underwriters in ways that influence transaction underwriting protocol.
• Executes tasks and assignments on the product roadmap.
• Provides input to the product development team for product evolution and priorities.

What You'll Bring

• Law Degree required.
• Admitted to law practice in manner appropriate for the position and location.
• At least three years of direct title insurance underwriting, title counsel, or real estate conveyancing experience.
• Demonstrated ability to apply underwriting judgment in technology, product, automation, or AI-enabled environments.
• Strong verbal and visual communication skills.
• Strong understanding of land titles, real estate law, and conveyancing process.
• Strong understanding of federal and state laws related to title insurance and settlement services.
• Some technical aptitude (e.g., novice-level understanding of at least one software engineering language).
• Business acumen and strategic agility that influences outcomes and successfully negotiates for resources.

Pay Range: $97,700.00 - $130,300.00 Annually

This hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job-related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location.

** Note that the following statements only apply to candidates who will be working from an unincorporated area within Los Angeles County. **

First American will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws (e.g., the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act). First American intends to conduct a review of an applicant’s criminal history in connection with a conditional offer. First American reasonably believes that a criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following material job duties for this position potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment: handling of confidential, proprietary or trade secret information belonging to First American or its customers, administrating or facilitating financial transactions, and the ability to meet customer-imposed criminal history requirements.

What We Offer

By choice, we don’t simply accept individuality – we embrace it, we support it, and we thrive on it! Our People First culture is inclusive for all employees - not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the key to our success. We are proud to foster an authentic and inclusive workplace For All. You are free and encouraged to bring your entire, unique self to work. First American is an equal opportunity employer in every sense of the term.

• medical
• dental
• vision
• 401k
• PTO/paid sick leave
• employee stock purchase plan

Our people are the foundation of First American’s success and that is the reason we put them first. This philosophy has cultivated a culture of happy employees who are highly engaged, passionate about their work and leave each day feeling they have made a difference.

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