Counsel - Insurance, Technology, and Privacy (Hybrid)

Selective Insurance Company of America•Short Hills, NJ

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

Provides day-to-day legal support in Selective’s Insurance, Technology, and Privacy Law function, with a significant focus on technology and vendor contracting and information compliance, including privacy, data security, and artificial intelligence legal support and governance. The role helps build and operate governance frameworks, evaluates proposed data and artificial intelligence uses against legal requirements and internal standards, documents governance decisions and conditions, and supports accountable committees and business owners. It also supports insurance underwriting operations, including policy forms, filings, and related regulatory questions. Novel, high-risk, and strategic issues are escalated to the VP, Assistant General Counsel. All duties must be carried out in compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The position drafts and negotiates technology and vendor agreements using established company positions, templates, and playbooks; supports privacy and information security programs; assesses proposed data and AI use cases; and advises business owners on relevant legal and regulatory obligations. It also supports insurance policy-form review, regulatory filings, and related insurance operations. The role serves as a day-to-day legal contact for assigned business units, provides practical training, and manages assigned outside counsel matters under the direction of the VP, Assistant General Counsel.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
At least 6 years of legal experience, including substantive experience in technology and commercial contracting or privacy, data security, or AI governance.
Depth in technology contracting or information compliance (privacy, data security, or AI governance), working knowledge of the other area, and ability to apply established legal positions, templates, and playbooks accurately across a steady volume of matters.
Practical experience operating a governance or compliance program, including running assessments, applying frameworks to use cases, documenting decisions and conditions, and working with cross-functional committees and business owners to implement conditions.
Familiarity with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, state privacy and insurance data security laws, and emerging AI regulation, or demonstrated ability to develop that familiarity.
Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
Sound judgment about resolving issues within established parameters and identifying issues that require escalation.
Ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines concurrently with limited supervision.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to explain legal and regulatory requirements clearly to non-lawyers.
High attention to detail and proficiency with contract management and legal technology tools.
Demonstrated ability to earn the trust of clients and colleagues.
Licensed to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction and, if not admitted in New Jersey, eligible for and committed to obtaining a New Jersey in-house counsel limited license.

Nice To Haves

A combination of law firm and in-house experience.
Insurance or other regulated financial services experience.
Privacy or AI certification such as CIPP/US, CIPM, or AIGP.
Insurance underwriting and regulatory knowledge; this may be developed on the job.

Responsibilities

Draft, review, and negotiate technology, SaaS, cloud, software licensing, data sharing, and professional services agreements using company templates, playbooks, and approved fallback positions.
Coordinate review of data, security, and access terms with Information Security and third-party risk management; flag privacy, security, and AI provisions requiring heightened review; and escalate non-standard terms and strategic agreements.
Serve as the day-to-day escalation point for routine commercial contracts, track contract volume, turnaround time, and recurring issues, and maintain contract templates, clause libraries, and negotiation playbooks.
Help maintain and operate the company’s privacy program, including privacy policies, standards, notices, and disclosures.
Conduct privacy impact assessments on proposed data uses, maintain records of processing and data inventory documentation, determine permissibility of proposed uses, advise on data-use questions under applicable laws, and support consumer privacy rights requests.
Advise on legal and regulatory requirements for the company’s information security program, including NYDFS Cybersecurity Requirements for Financial Services Companies, 23 NYCRR 500, and state insurance data security laws based on the NAIC Insurance Data Security Model Law (#668).
Support documentation and certification obligations under information security frameworks and assist with cyber incident response under the direction of the VP, Assistant General Counsel, including breach-notification analysis under state laws.
Partner with IT Vendor Risk Management on third-party risk assessments and security requirements for vendors handling company or policyholder data.
Serve as a legal resource to the AI governance program; evaluate proposed AI use cases at intake, conduct AI risk assessments, review model documentation and testing records, set and document conditions for business owners, and prepare materials for and support the accountable committee.
Draft and recommend updates to privacy, data security, and AI governance policies, standards, and intake procedures, and maintain records documenting governance decisions.
Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting privacy, data security, AI, technology contracting, and insurance regulation; advise business owners about resulting compliance obligations and operational impacts; and report governance activity, open conditions, and emerging risks to the VP, Assistant General Counsel, and applicable governance committees.
Support policy form, endorsement, and manual rule review for admitted commercial and personal lines, including consistency with underwriting and actuarial intent and applicable state requirements.
Assist with cancellation, nonrenewal, and withdrawal notice requirements; producer and agency questions; NFIP Flood program questions; and rate, rule, and form filing support.
Work with Regulatory Management Services on filing objections, complaint responses, and market conduct examination requests.
Serve as the day-to-day legal contact for assigned business units and develop and deliver practical training on data and AI governance obligations and company contracting requirements.
Manage assigned outside counsel matters under the direction of the VP, Assistant General Counsel, including scoping requests, reviewing work product, and reviewing invoices against company billing guidelines.