General Counsel

Job Overview:

As a General Counsel with FirstService Financial you'll be responsible for providing expert & strategic legal advice to support the growth & success of the business. This key leader anticipates issues, assesses risk strategically, and provides hands-on counsel to executives & business teams to address critical legal and business challenges. The General Counsel understands the tension between business realities and legal protections, effectively navigates the most difficult questions at the strategy level, and guides teams to avoid pitfalls at the operations level. The General Counsel brings a proven ability to contribute to overall profitability.

Your Responsibilities:

• Guidance & Strategy

• Analyze all manner of legal & business issues, develop strategy alternatives, recommend effective courses of action, and lead the legal implementation.

• Monitor all state and provincial legislative changes that might affect FirstService Financial business activities in those jurisdictions.

• Conduct legal research, analysis, and provide sound legal advice.

• Provide sound advice and guidance on legal and business-related issues to senior business leaders.

• Manage risk and ensure business and compliance needs are accurately reflected in agreements.

• Contracts

• Expertly draft & edit contracts to protect FirstService Financial and its subsidiaries while also achieving the company's business objectives.

• Structure, negotiate, and close transactional agreements.

• Risk Management and Claims

• Developing and vetting mitigating strategies

• Minimizing defense spend & settlement outlays

• Developing standards relating to our client insurance programs

• Effectively manage any risks & claims brought against FirstService Financial, including:

• Oversight of management contract compliance projects including tracking and reporting on our compliance efforts, coordinating cross-functional initiatives and developing recommendations for improvements.

• Create and lead webinars on insurance concepts and topics on an ongoing basis.

• Participate on the claims review council for FS Insurance Brokers proprietary products with the aim to minimize risk exposure, losses and engage with management teams for corrective actions.

• Insurance and Banking

• Protect the company by leveraging a deep understanding of insurance principles, coverage types, tendering imperatives, triggers to coverage, managing adjusters & third-party administrators, and avoiding actions that may jeopardize coverage.

• Maintain an understanding and staying abreast of regulatory changes in the insurance industry.

• Partner with FirstService Residential legal and leadership teams regarding insurance and banking language in its management contracts with the aim to educate.

• Handle complex insurance coverage matters, including policy interpretation, disputes, and bad faith claims.

• Other responsibilities as assigned

Skills & Qualifications:

• JD from an ABA accredited law school

• Member in good standing of any State Bar

• Insurance coverage experience required

• 6+ years licensed legal practice experience

• Proficient in English.

• Valid Driver's License and State Mandated Vehicle Insurance

• Overall broad legal knowledge (corporate law, litigation, etc.)

• Ability to develop legal strategy & objectives

• Impeccable professional ethics & integrity

• Ability to anticipate legal issues or risks and to 'see around the corner'

• Creative problem-solving ability & excellent analytic skills

• The ability to apply sound business & legal judgment to a wide variety of legal questions

• Extraordinary interpersonal and communication skills; ability to communicate information effectively internally and externally - whether on the fly or with prepared communications - and to drive cross-functional alignment and action

• High degree of initiative; growth-minded & collaborative

• Execution-oriented mindset with the drive to get things done

• Able to work under tight deadlines, handle multiple, detailed projects simultaneously and anticipate needs in advance

• Fluent with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Windows; Ability to learn new applications and skills quickly

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Travel:

Up to 10% Travel

What We Offer:

As a full-time exempt associate, you will be eligible for full comprehensive benefits to include your choice of multiple medical plans, dental, and vision. In addition, you will be eligible for time off benefits, paid holidays and a 401k with company match.

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