Attorney, Claims & Litigation

At The Standard, you’ll join a team focused on putting our customers first.

Our continued success is driven by a high-performance culture. We’re looking for people who are collaborative, accountable, creative, agile and are driven by a passion for doing what’s right – across the company and in our local communities.

We offer a caring culture where you can make a real difference, every day.
 
Ready to reach your highest potential? Let’s work together.

Job Summary:

As the Attorney, Claims & Litigation, you will manage the litigation process for The Standard’s employee benefits claims organization (this includes group and individual long-term disability insurance, group Life, AD&D and other related product lines) by overseeing the work of outside counsel. You will also regularly provide legal advice to claims analysts on contract interpretation and application of policy to facts.  You may also have the opportunity to make a wider impact on our business by providing your partnership and guidance to our retirement plans and individual annuities lines for litigated matters. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Negotiate settlements on a pre-litigation basis.
• Oversee the work of outside counsel in developing strategy and drive the successful resolution of lawsuits filed against the company in an efficient manner.
• Participate in mediations or settlement conferences, or trials as necessary (some travel will be required).
• Work with benefits personnel in preparing for any court appearances, deposition preparation, or trial.
• Provide legal advice to claims analysts on contract interpretation and application of policy to facts in accordance with relevant state or federal law.
• Research and provide risk analysis to the Benefits organization and recommend changes to claims practices and procedures as necessary.
• Review or identify areas of risk to the organization and provide recommendations based on legal analysis.
• Analyze and educate the organization (via trainings and presentations) about changes or trends in laws or regulations that may impact claims administration.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner with the business by providing pragmatic and useable legal insight in supporting their on-going business objectives.

Skills and Background You’ll Need:

Education:

• Doctor of Jurisprudence and admitted to the Oregon State Bar (or be eligible to be admitted to practice in Oregon).

Experience:

• Minimum of three (3) years of legal experience or working knowledge of business practices in a relevant professional field. (required)
• Knowledge about ERISA and insurance bad faith litigation, and employee benefits litigation, particularly individual disability insurance (preferred)
• Strong communications skills including the ability to produce clear, concise, complete and persuasive work product, active listening and persuasive advising. 
• Ability to deliver successful presentations to audiences of varying levels.

Key Behaviors of a Successful Candidate

• Winning together: Ability to work closely with internal business partners as a strategic partner to identify and prioritize business needs and assess and communicate risk.
• Driving success: Ability to demonstrate an understanding of and motivation to achieve business goals in a legally defensible manner. 
• Improvement Mindset: Ability to spot legal issues, research accordingly and produce defensible, understandable work products. 

Why join The Standard?

We have built an enduring legacy of stability, innovation and financial strength thanks to the contributions of the talented, creative and compassionate people who choose to work at The Standard. To ensure we can attract and retain the best talent, when you join The Standard you can expect:

• A rich benefits package including a 401(k) plan with matching company contributions
• An annual incentive bonus plan
• Generous paid time off
• A supportive and responsive management approach
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement 
• Paid time off to volunteer
• An employee giving program that double matches your donations to eligible nonprofits and schools
• Much more!

#LI-Remote

Please note - the salary range for this role is listed below. In addition to salary, our package includes incentive plan participation and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision and retirement benefits, as well as an initial PTO accrual of 164 hours per year. Employees also receive 11 paid holidays and 2 wellness days per year.

• Eligibility to participate in an incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program and plan. Any award depends on various factors, including individual and organizational performance.

Salary Range:

Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Equities, Inc. and StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., marketed as The Standard, are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status or any other condition protected by federal, state or local law. The Standard offers a drug and alcohol free work environment where possession, manufacture, transfer, offer, use of or being impaired by an illegal substance while on Standard property, or in other cases which the company believes might affect operations, safety or reputation of the company is prohibited. The Standard requires a criminal background investigation, employment, education and licensing verification as a condition of employment. All employees of The Standard must be bondable.