P&C Legal Counsel EMEA

Job description

The role holder will be primarily responsible for providing support for all aspects of drafting, reviewing and agreement of (re)insurance policies, contracts and / or agreements relating to direct, Fac reinsurance and reinsurance business, with a specific focus on casualty lines (including EIL cover), underwritten by the EMEA underwriting team, including SCOR syndicate underwriters.

The role holder will be a member of the P&C legal team working on the development of SCOR’s wording tool, Lex.  

·  Degree (ideally law), with a strong academic record.
·  A formal professional legal qualification/admittance – preferably in EMEA (but a professional qualification in another jurisdiction is acceptable). 

The role holder will be responsible for working closely with EMEA P&C business unit underwriters, management team and P&C Legal team and (as required) SCOR’s Compliance team and broader SCOR Legal community, including:

·  Providing (re)insurance policy and contract wording support re direct, Fac reinsurance and reinsurance business, with a casualty lines focus.
·  Providing legal guidance and support re any assigned P&C underwriting, wordings, sanctions and embargoes and licencing queries.
·  Supporting the operations of the P&C business unit, including identifying and addressing/mitigating legal risks in the business and supporting the business by appropriately addressing any legal and compliance risk.
·  Supporting product development, notably by providing contract language support to P&C treaty and specialty underwriters (e.g., policy/contract wordings, non-disclosure agreements, etc.
·  Participating and collaborating with broader legal, compliance and other business units. 
·  Providing support to the P&C business in the Americas and APAC (as time and experience permits) – the P&C Legal team operates globally.
·  Supporting the development of the P&C business unit’s wording tool, Lex.
·  The role holder will be expected to be commercial and pragmatic and to understand the impact of market conditions on treaty and direct insurance activities, procedures, and wordings, while being able to clearly and succinctly articulate issues to the underwriting community (and management), 
·  to evaluate the risks associated with the (re)insurance activities and to develop commercial risk mitigation options, while ensuring all operations are compliant.
·  The role holder will be enthusiastic about supporting the activities of the P&C business unit and providing general support to the broader Legal and Compliance functions for P&C as time and experience permits. 
·  The role holder will report directly to the Chief Legal Counsel, P&C Business Unit. The role holder will also interact with other P&C business unit counsel and the Group’s global Legal and Compliance teams.
·  Once settled in their role, there is an opportunity for a strong performer to work on transversal projects, cross-regional projects or to expand their knowledge on matters unrelated to their primary practice – the P&C Legal team is small providing the opportunity to participate in providing legal support for a wide range of matters (outside of “day-to-day” responsibilities).

Required experience

·  PQE either in a legal practice and/or commercial environment, with a material exposure to the (re)insurance business.
·  Prior responsibility for (re)insurance contract wording issues and for assessing the degree of legal risk and ability development of solutions to mitigate legal risk. 
·  Prior Lloyd’s syndicate and EIL experience will be a positive – but not required. 
·  This role will suit somebody with prior reinsurance and direct insurance experience who is capable of operating autonomously, with guidance from their peers, and who is excited about working directly with the business.

 

Personal Competencies:

·  Both the business and the Legal teams are small, such that collegiality, efficiency, proactivity and curiosity are key to the role holder’s success.
·  We are seeking a self-starter who has strong organizational skills.
·  Although prior relevant experience is required, a capability to learn and grow with the business is what will make the role holder successful.
·  Independence – A self-starter who is able to take the initiative and can act independently when needed and make their own decisions, while understanding when the support of peers is needed and keeping relevant stakeholders advised and involved and operating within internal governance requirements and guidelines.
·  Problem Solving – An ability to identify and analyse issues, proposals, etc.
·  Communication – Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
·  Commercial – An ability to apply technical legal issues in a commercial environment. 
·  Decision Making – An ability to timely make and/or to roll out decisions, reflecting the available information and appropriate risk assessments.
·  Accountability – Understand and accepts they are accountable for their decisions and shows responsibility.
·  Commitment – Makes the effort to bring their skills and uses their expertise to contribute to the success of the Business Unit.
·  Curiosity – A strong appetite for learning and developing themself in their field.

 

Additional language skills

·  A proficiency in either French, German, Spanish, or Portuguese is a plus – but not required.