Senior Insurance Defense Attorney

Confidential; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential in Philadelphia seeks a senior Insurance Defense Attorney to handle sophisticated large-loss and excess-liability matters. The role supports independent case management with collaboration among carriers, excess insurers, self-insured organizations, and corporate clients.

The successful candidate will bring extensive litigation experience, strong advocacy, and strategic judgment, with opportunities to contribute to firm leadership and growth in the large-loss practice.

Qualifications

• Senior-level litigation experience in insurance defense.
• Strong litigation judgment and ability to lead complex matters.
• Excellent written and oral advocacy, with deposition and trial experience.

Responsibilities

• Independently manage large-loss, excess-liability matters from inception to resolution.
• Develop litigation strategies considering liability, damages, coverage, and exposure.
• Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, and discovery; conduct and defend depositions.
• Lead or contribute to trial preparation, including witness and expert coordination.
• Represent clients at hearings, mediations, and other proceedings.

Skills

Litigation management

Legal research

Oral advocacy

Negotiation

Client management

Strategic thinking

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

PA Bar license

Job description

Senior Insurance Defense Attorney – Large Loss & Excess Liability

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Work Arrangement: Flexible Hybrid

Practice Areas: Large Loss | Excess Liability | Insurance Defense | Complex Litigation

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Insurance Defense Attorney to join a Philadelphia-based litigation practice and handle sophisticated large-loss, excess-liability, and other high-exposure insurance defense matters.

This role is designed for a senior-level litigator who can independently manage complex cases from initial assignment through resolution while working closely with firm leadership, insurance carriers, excess insurers, self-insured organizations, and corporate clients.

The successful candidate will bring strong litigation judgment, significant experience handling high-value matters, and the ability to develop and execute effective case strategies. Trial experience is strongly preferred.

Candidates with a portable book of business, established client relationships, or a distinctive practice background may receive additional consideration and may have opportunities to contribute to the continued growth of the large-loss and excess-liability practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently manage complex large-loss, excess-liability, and high-exposure litigation matters from inception through resolution.
• Develop comprehensive litigation strategies based on liability, damages, coverage considerations, and overall financial exposure.
• Evaluate high-value claims and provide strategic recommendations to carriers and clients regarding litigation risk and resolution.
• Draft and review pleadings, dispositive motions, complex motions, briefs, discovery requests, responses, and other litigation documents.
• Conduct and defend depositions involving parties, witnesses, experts, and other key individuals.
• Manage sophisticated discovery matters, including expert discovery, document-intensive litigation, and complex evidentiary issues.
• Prepare and argue substantive and dispositive motions before state and federal courts, as applicable.
• Represent clients at hearings, mediations, arbitrations, settlement conferences, and other proceedings.
• Lead or significantly contribute to trial preparation, including witness preparation, expert coordination, motions in limine, exhibits, and overall trial strategy.
• Analyze liability, damages, insurance coverage considerations, excess exposure, and settlement value.
• Maintain regular communication with insurance carriers, excess carriers, claims professionals, corporate clients, and self-insured organizations.
• Prepare detailed case evaluations, litigation reports, budgets, and exposure assessments.
• Negotiate settlements and develop commercially appropriate resolution strategies.
• Maintain strong client relationships and provide responsive, strategic legal counsel.
• Support business development initiatives and contribute to the growth of the large-loss and excess-liability practice.
• Mentor and collaborate with junior attorneys and litigation support professionals when required.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active Pennsylvania law license in good standing.
• Senior-level litigation experience, preferably within insurance defense.
• Significant experience handling large-loss, excess-liability, catastrophic-loss, or other high-exposure litigation.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex litigation matters.
• Strong experience in insurance defense litigation and claims-related disputes.
• Significant experience conducting and defending depositions.
• Strong legal research, writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex liability, damages, and exposure issues.
• Strong negotiation, client-management, and case-strategy capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple sophisticated matters and competing litigation deadlines.

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

• Admission to the New Jersey Bar.
• Substantial second-chair trial experience in complex or high-value matters.
• Experience handling catastrophic injury, wrongful death, or severe-loss claims.
• Experience representing excess carriers, primary insurance carriers, self-insured organizations, and corporate defendants.
• Experience with complex general liability, commercial automobile, premises liability, trucking/transportation, product liability, or related casualty litigation.
• Experience handling expert-intensive litigation and complex damages issues.
• Strong familiarity with Pennsylvania state and federal court procedures.

This is a full-time, flexible hybrid position based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The role offers significant autonomy in managing complex litigation while providing access to firm leadership and key institutional clients. Candidates with portable business or strong business-development capabilities may also have the opportunity to take on broader responsibilities in client development and practice growth.