Claims & Coverage Counsel - In-House

Openly

10h•Remote

About The Position

Openly is hiring an experienced Claims & Coverage Counsel to join our Legal & Compliance team who will provide specialized legal guidance for the company’s personal lines property and casualty (P&C) business. Reporting to the VP, Legal & Compliance, as Claims & Coverage Counsel, you’ll play a key role in providing legal expertise with business insight to shape products, guide coverage decisions, consult on complex litigation, and support our claims and underwriting teams. You will support Claims leadership to ensure that litigation is handled strategically and that high-stakes coverage decisions are legally sound.

Requirements

Juris Doctorate degree (JD) from an ABA accredited law school and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
7+ years of experience in P&C insurance law, with significant expertise in personal lines liability litigation (Auto/Home)
Experience managing multi-state 1st party and 3rd party litigation or providing coverage counsel for a national carrier
Specific expertise in defending/advising on extra-contractual exposure
Sound legal judgment and ability to provide pragmatic and strategic legal advice to the business
Evaluate complex liability and litigation exposures, and clearly articulate potential risks, financial impacts, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership and executive stakeholders
Ability to collaborate effectively with people at all levels of the company
Flexible and adaptive in a fast paced environment with changing priorities/deadlines
Strong analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to assess, analyze, organize and summarize complex matters
Effective verbal and written communication skills, legal writing and regulatory analysis
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and/or Google Suite

Nice To Haves

Prior litigation defense experience preferred

Responsibilities

Partner with the Claims department on complex and high-exposure claims, providing strategic counsel on reserves, risk mitigation, litigation strategy, and real-time legal guidance on time-limit demands, conditional demands, stipulated judgments (e.g., Morris, Damron, or Cunniff style agreements), and multi-claimant settlements where policy limits are insufficient, ensuring proactive management of extra-contractual risk.
Be an active participant in litigation strategy conferences, attend high-stakes mediations, depositions, and trials to protect the company’s interests.
Conduct legal research and keep stakeholders informed about the latest developments in claims specific case law.
Draft formal, internal legal opinions regarding complex coverage issues (e.g., duty to defend vs. indemnify, stacking of limits, and application of exclusions).
Approve or draft Reservation of Rights (ROR) letters and formal Denial of Coverage correspondence, rescissions or void ab initio.
Analyze state-specific claims handling statutes and advise claims staff on compliance to prevent extra-contractual exposure.
Monitor emerging judicial trends (social inflation, nuclear verdicts, policy "stacking") and translate insights into actionable claims protocols and policy language updates.
Partner across teams to draft and revise policy forms, shape product strategies, and innovate coverage solutions for emerging risks.
Mentor others, lead special projects, and share legal knowledge to drive business forward.

Benefits

Remote-First Culture - We supported #remotelife long before it was a given. We'll keep promoting it.
Competitive Salary & Equity
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Plan Offerings
Life and disability coverage including voluntary options
Parental Leave - up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of paid parental leave based on meeting eligibility requirements
(Birthing parents may be eligible for additional leave through STD)
401K Company Contribution - Openly contributes 3% of the employee's gross income, even if the employee does not contribute.
Work-from-home stipend - We provide a $1,500 allowance to spend on setting up your home workplace
Annual Professional Development Fund: Each employee has $2,000 in professional development (PD) funds to spend on activities or resources annually. We want each Openly employee to achieve personal and professional success and to feel supported, confident, and informed about improving their efficiency and productivity.
Be Well Program - Employees receive $50 per month to use towards your overall well-being
Paid Volunteer Service Hours
Referral Program and Reward