EVP, Associate General Counsel

Palomar•La Jolla, CA

70d•Onsite

About The Position

Palomar Holdings is seeking an Executive Vice President, Associate General Counsel - Corporate to join our La Jolla, CA headquarters. Reporting directly to the Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, this senior legal leader will serve as the primary in-house counsel for Palomar's public company governance, securities law, capital markets, M&A, corporate insurance law, and public company litigation functions. This role joins a strong, established legal team and will work in close partnership with the EVP, Associate General Counsel - Regulatory, whose ownership of litigation, licensed entity compliance, and operational legal matters remains fully intact.

Requirements

J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
Active admission to the California State Bar (or eligibility for Registered In-House Counsel status)
15+ years of legal experience combining Big Law training with in-house insurance or financial services experience
Meaningful public company tenure with direct exposure to SEC reporting, SOX compliance, proxy processes, and Board governance, ideally at a NASDAQ- or NYSE-listed company
Demonstrated M&A transaction experience in insurance or financial services, including deal execution and outside counsel management
Capital markets experience with catastrophe bonds, ILS structures, credit facilities, or debt and equity offerings
Strong corporate insurance law background with familiarity across federal securities regulations and multi-state insurance holding company frameworks
Experience with public company litigation and directing outside litigation counsel
Proven ability to advise C-suite executives and Board members, influence cross-functional stakeholders, and lead high-performing legal teams
Strong Microsoft Office skills including Excel, Outlook, and Teams

Nice To Haves

Texas Bar admission a plus
Specialty lines experience a distinct advantage

Responsibilities

Support the CLO in her role as Corporate Secretary, including Board and committee governance, records management, and preparation of all Board materials
Lead Palomar's SEC reporting obligations, including periodic filings, proxy preparation, and insider trading and Regulation FD compliance
Advise on federal securities law requirements, including Exchange Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, and Dodd-Frank obligations applicable to a NASDAQ-listed company
Serve as primary in-house counsel for public company-related litigation, including securities, disclosure, governance, and shareholder matters
Lead M&A transactions as primary in-house legal counsel from diligence through signing and closing, directing outside counsel and advising the executive team
Coordinate with internal legal partners on regulatory approval processes and post-closing integration handoffs
Serve as in-house legal lead for capital markets activity, including catastrophe bond issuances, credit facilities, and debt and equity transactions
Monitor developments in insurance-linked securities and capital markets relevant to Palomar's risk transfer strategy
Provide strategic legal counsel on corporate insurance law matters, including holding company structure and regulatory matters intersecting with corporate transactions
Monitor legislative and regulatory developments at the state and federal level with potential impact on Palomar's corporate structure and specialty lines strategy
Manage outside counsel relationships for transaction, securities, and capital markets matters in coordination with the CLO
Oversee transaction-related contracts and strategic partnership agreements
Support employee relations, executive matters, and cross-functional legal needs in partnership with HR and business leadership
Mentor and develop junior legal team members