Staff Attorney

Our Company

For more than 25 years, AssuranceAmerica has provided superior property and casualty insurance products through contracted independent agents and directly to customers. Our team succeeds through diversity of thought, experiences, skills, and backgrounds. We are more than a unique blend of insurance assets. We believe in creating a culture where every associate can learn and grow. We strive to create a work environment to meet associate needs and we are determined to achieve excellence in everything we do.

This is an opportunity to join a dynamic team in a company that is a leader in the minimum limits auto insurance space. This position will require someone with an understanding that one needs to have a “roll up your sleeves” attitude to help make things happen.  You will work directly with the claims department to maximizing impact and ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of AssuranceAmerica’s Florida legal department in accordance with AssuranceAmerica’s mission statement.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a Staff Attorney to provide defense work for our Florida operations. As a Staff Attorney for AssuranceAmerica, you will join our growing Claims and Legal staff in Florida. We pride ourselves on a collaborative, team-oriented environment and are dedicated to personal growth. This position is remote with primary coverage within Central and South Florida but may include coverage throughout Florida. Our ideal candidate will be part of a team responsible for providing top quality representation for litigated matters involving Florida claims to include Bodily Injury, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and disputed glass claims.

As a Staff Attorney, you will provide legal representation to AssuranceAmerica and/or their insured.  You will play a crucial role in development of legal strategy and navigation of Florida’s legal terrain.  Case management involves filing responsive pleadings through discovery and ultimately trial. Your responsibilities include managing the litigation process, developing, and implementing strategies for litigation defense and collaborating with our Claims teams and clients. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Staff Management: assist with hiring, training, supervising, motivate, counsel, and evaluate legal staff (advocates, support staff, co-counsel, etc.). 
• Case Management: actively handle PIP, BI, Glass and various other types of cases from assignment to conclusion, monitor case and task assignments, monitoring case progress, and ensuring adherence to deadlines and legal standards.
• Attendance: be present and accessible to include attendance at teams meetings, roundtables, and responsive on a daily basis to client and staff inquiries.
• Administrative Tasks: Managing schedules, and other administrative functions of the legal team.
• Strategic Planning: Participating in strategic decision-making for the organization.
• Compliance: Ensuring compliance with company, legal and ethical standards.
• Professionalism: Maintains consistent, fair, and diplomatic interactions with co-workers, co-counsel, the Court, adverse counsel.
• Communication: Prepares and submits timely status reports to adjusters on all significant activities as they occur.
• Develops, organizes, and maintains file documents consisting of pleadings, briefs, and memorandums.
• Creates and maintains a documented strategy for case handling in each assigned case to include a synopsis of the intangible factors, i.e. the judge, plaintiff attorney, aggravating factors, etc.
• Ensures that all files are appropriately documented and organized.
• Provides prompt and timely responses to all telephone calls and correspondence.
• Utilizes and/or ensures use of case management software for maintaining notes, diary, calendar, billing, etc., on cases assigned to Staff Counsel and in accordance with established standard operating procedures and legal and ethical requirements/guidelines.
• This job description is not intended to be all inclusive and the employee will also perform other reasonably related duties as assigned by claims to include adjusters, managers, executives, and claims counsel.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an accredited law school
• Active license to practice law in Florida
• Must have 5+ years of experience as an attorney, including civil jury trial experience and be capable of handling cases of moderate exposure with minimum supervision.
• Strong understanding of regulatory / statutory requirements; develop and maintain knowledge of changes in Florida Law and the Rules of Civil Procedure;
• Properly utilizes our legal software and other various systems;
• Responsible for meeting individual goals and objectives;
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills;
• Ability to supervise attorneys and support staff and maintain a strong and motivated legal team;
• Strong legal and analytical skills;
• Strategic thinker, who understands the insurance industry;
• Polished and professional personality with strong, clear and persuasive oral and written communication skills;
• Collaborative and team-oriented;
• Exceptional interpersonal and administrative skills, a positive attitude and work style, and an ability to balance multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced, deadline-oriented legal environment;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
• Capability to litigate in all state jurisdictions
• Reliable internet source;
• Flexibility and ability to travel across State to attend live hearings to the extent required by the Court.

Overall, a staff attorney must be confident, driven, professional, organized and analytical. He/she needs to possess exceptional written and oral communication skills, as he/she interacts with everyone from other attorneys to support staff to managers and adjusters on a frequent basis. 

Additional Attributes:

• 3+ years’ experience in defense of first-party litigation
• Able to work independently or with a team with strong attention to detail along with the ability to organize and prioritize workload
• Ability to identify risk with strong understanding of all applicable ethical duties
• Ability to work effectively with clients and customers and negotiate on their behalf