Chief Legal Officer

MRA Recruiting Services•Wauwatosa, WI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the CEO's direction, this position serves as the Chief Legal Officer for Cities & Villages Mutual Insurance Company, providing strategic legal guidance on insurance operations, intergovernmental pooling, governance, and regulatory compliance, and coordinating outside legal counsel. This position also delivers targeted legal services to member municipalities, where appropriate, subject to rigorous conflict of interest analysis and compliance with applicable professional conduct rules.

Requirements

Graduation with a Juris Doctor from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Admitted to practice law in the State of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin federal courts, or the ability to obtain such admission within a reasonable period.
Ten (10) years of progressively responsible legal experience, including substantial experience as in-house counsel within state or local government, a public entity, or a governmental risk pool or municipal mutual insurer.
Significant experience advising on issues affecting municipal government, including but not limited to risk management, claims adjudication, liability insurance, and public-sector governance.
Demonstrated experience interacting with executive leadership and governing boards, including providing legal advice on complex, high-impact organizational matters.
Knowledge of: Wisconsin municipal law, including statutes, ordinances, and legal doctrines affecting cities and villages.
Knowledge of: Wisconsin insurance law, including mutual insurance structures under Wis. Stat. Ch. 611, and regulatory oversight by the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.
Knowledge of: Intergovernmental risk-pooling structures, including governance, member participation agreements, and cooperative public entity arrangements.
Knowledge of: Administrative law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence, including practice before administrative agencies and courts.
Knowledge of: Litigation processes, including pleadings, motion practice, discovery, trial advocacy, and appellate procedure.
Knowledge of: Insurance coverage law and claims handling, including interpretation of policy language and municipal liability exposures (e.g., civil rights, employment practices, law enforcement liability).
Knowledge of: Corporate governance principles, including fiduciary duties, conflicts of interest, and board operations in a mutual insurance context.
Knowledge of: Legal ethics and professional responsibility, including conflict-of-interest rules (e.g., SCR20:1.7), attorney-client privilege, and duties to organizational clients.
Knowledge of: Legal research and writing methodologies, including the use of primary and secondary legal authorities.
Knowledge of: Employment and labor law, public records and open meetings law, procurement law, and other legal frameworks affecting public-sector entities.
Skill In: Apply legal principles, practices, and techniques to resolve complex legal and organizational issues in a regulated insurance environment.
Skill In: Analyze, synthesize, and present complex facts, legal authorities, and policy considerations in a clear, logical, and actionable manner.
Skill In: Interpret and apply constitutional provisions, statutes, administrative regulations, insurance policies, and legal precedents.
Skill In: Manage concurrent legal matters and competing priorities, including adherence to deadlines in a dynamic environment.
Skill In: Exercise sound professional judgment, particularly in identifying and addressing conflicts of interest and ethical obligations.
Skill In: Maintain confidentiality and protect privileged information across organizational and multi-client contexts.
Skill In: Work independently with minimal supervision while also functioning effectively as part of an executive leadership team.
Skill In: Supervise and coordinate the work of external counsel and, as applicable, internal staff.
Skill In: Build and maintain effective working relationships with board members, executives, municipal officials, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Skill In: Communicate with clarity, precision, and professionalism, both orally and in writing.
Skill In: Exercise tact, diplomacy, and discretion in sensitive legal and governmental matters.
Skill In: Identify and manage ethical risks, including determining when representation of multiple entities is permissible and when it must be declined or referred.
Skill In: Handle matters of a sensitive nature confidentially and professionally.
Skill In: Communicate professionally, timely, and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Skill In: Work effectively as part of a management team.
Skill In: Effectively interact with others both within and outside the organization.
Skill In: Perform tasks and interact with others in a consistent, controlled manner that conveys organizational values and professional ethics.
Skill In: Organize, coordinate, and direct projects and meet work objectives.
Skill In: Assume a leadership role and effectively direct team members and processes with or without formal authority.
Skill In: Legal analysis and problem solving, including the ability to apply legal principles to complex, high-risk, or novel issues.
Skill In: Legal writing, including drafting clear, precise, and persuasive briefs, opinions, policies, contracts, and governance documents.
Skill In: Oral advocacy and presentation, including the ability to communicate complex legal concepts effectively to executives, board members, municipal officials, and non-lawyers.
Skill In: Litigation management and strategy, including evaluation of case exposure, coordination without outside counsel, and alignment of legal strategy with organizational objectives.
Skill In: Contract drafting and negotiation, particularly for insurance policies, intergovernmental agreements, reinsurance arrangements, and vendor contracts.
Skill In: Regulatory compliance management, including interpreting regulatory requirements and implementing compliant operational practices.
Skill In: Risk assessment and mitigation, particularly in the context of municipal liability and pooled insurance operations.
Skill In: Stakeholder engagement, including the ability to work effectively with elected officials, municipal staff, regulators, and external counsel.
Skill In: Training and education, including the ability to develop and deliver legal and risk management training for diverse audiences.
Skill In: Proficient use of legal research tools, document management systems, and standard office software, including Microsoft Office products.
Ability to: Apply legal principles, practices, and techniques to resolve complex legal and organizational issues in a regulated insurance environment.
Ability to: Analyze, synthesize, and present complex facts, legal authorities, and policy considerations in a clear, logical, and actionable manner.
Ability to: Interpret and apply constitutional provisions, statutes, administrative regulations, insurance policies, and legal precedents.
Ability to: Manage concurrent legal matters and competing priorities, including adherence to deadlines in a dynamic environment.
Ability to: Exercise sound professional judgment, particularly in identifying and addressing conflicts of interest and ethical obligations.
Ability to: Maintain confidentiality and protect privileged information across organizational and multi-client contexts.
Ability to: Work independently with minimal supervision while also functioning effectively as part of an executive leadership team.
Ability to: Supervise and coordinate the work of external counsel and, as applicable, internal staff.
Ability to: Build and maintain effective working relationships with board members, executives, municipal officials, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Ability to: Communicate with clarity, precision, and professionalism, both orally and in writing.
Ability to: Exercise tact, diplomacy, and discretion in sensitive legal and governmental matters.
Ability to: Identify and manage ethical risks, including determining when representation of multiple entities is permissible and when it must be declined or referred.
Ability to: Handle matters of a sensitive nature confidentially and professionally.
Ability to: Communicate professionally, timely, and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Ability to: Work effectively as part of a management team.
Ability to: Effectively interact with others both within and outside the organization.
Ability to: Perform tasks and interact with others in a consistent, controlled manner that conveys organizational values and professional ethics.
Ability to: Organize, coordinate, and direct projects and meet work objectives.
Ability to: Assume a leadership role and effectively direct team members and processes with or without formal authority.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience with property tax assessment appeals or other municipal litigation affecting local government revenues or liabilities.
Familiarity with Wisconsin insurance regulations and mutual insurance operations.
Previous experience working with or advising regulated insurers, risk pools, or public entity coverage programs.

Responsibilities

Serves as Chief Legal Officer and Strategic Legal Advisor on legal, regulatory, and governance matters affecting CVMIC and its intergovernmental pooling functions.
Coordinates and oversees CVMIC’s outside legal counsel, including legal strategy, allocation of resources, reviewing legal opinions, and ensuring outside counsel advice is integrated into organizational decision-making.
Oversees and advises on compliance with Wisconsin mutual insurance law, related provisions of the Wisconsin Insurance Code, and applicable administrative regulations; Monitors statutory and regulatory developments affecting CVMIC and recommends policy or operational changes.
Provides legal guidance on member participation agreements, governance structures, and statutory authority for cooperative risk sharing among public entities; Advises on municipal laws affecting members, including governmental immunity, liability limitations, open meetings and public records requirements, procurement, employment law, and constitutional considerations.
Collaborates with claims leadership and outside counsel on complex, high-exposure, or precedent-setting claims. Advises on coverage interpretation, policy language, and claims practices involving municipal liability.
Oversees litigation in which CVMIC is a party, and monitors member litigation on CVMIC's behalf in its capacity as insurer — including coordinating with and managing outside defense counsel retained for members, while respecting that such counsel represents the member and directs the member's defense; Evaluates case exposure, litigation strategy, and settlement posture from CVMIC's perspective; Ensures alignment with CVMIC risk tolerance and financial objectives. This position serves as counsel to CVMIC only and does not provide legal representation to members.
Coordinates with outside counsel to oversee the drafting, review, and revision of insurance policies, endorsements, member agreements, intergovernmental agreements, reinsurance contracts, vendor contracts, and other legal instruments.
Designs, implements, and monitors internal compliance frameworks, including policies addressing regulatory compliance, ethics, conflict of interest, data governance, records retention, and reporting obligations.
Advises leadership and human resources on employment law, workplace investigations, personnel policies, and executive-level employment matters.
Under the direction of the CEO, this position may advise or support member municipalities in property tax assessment appeals and related proceedings.
Delivers training for members, Board members, and staff on legal risk, liability trends, governance obligations, and compliance requirements specific to public entities and pooled insurance structures.
Assesses developments and emerging risks in insurance law, municipal liability, public administration, and regulatory oversight. Guides leadership on recommended policy revisions and strategic adjustments.
Ensures organizational clarity regarding the respective roles of internal legal leadership, as Chief Legal Officer, and any outside counsel. Establishes protocols for engagement, privilege, communication channels, and decision authority to preserve efficiency, confidentiality, and legal integrity.