Sr Legal Counsel (10+ Years in General Insurance, Brokers, TPAs, Insurtech + Regulatory & Compliance + Legal Expertise)
Assurant · Mumbai
Senior Legal Counsel, Assurant-India
The Senior Legal Counsel - will serve as a trusted advisor to senior business stakeholders, providing strategic legal guidance across insurance operations, distribution arrangements, claims, regulatory matters, corporate governance, litigation, arbitration management, employment matters, contract negotiations, and risk management. The role is responsible for leading key legal initiatives, managing external counsel, supporting organizational growth strategies, and ensuring regulatory compliance and sound governance practices.
This position will be Work from Office at our Mumbai, India location.
What will be my duties and responsibilities in this job?
Commercial Contracts and Strategic Business Support
- Draft, review, negotiate, and finalize a broad range of commercial agreements, including distribution agreements, service agreements, vendor contracts, technology agreements, confidentiality agreements, and strategic partnerships.
- Advise business stakeholders on contractual risks, obligations, and mitigation strategies.
- Lead contract execution processes and maintain oversight of contractual compliance obligations.
- Review renewal requirements and provide legal advice on amendments, extensions, and contractual risk exposures.
- Partner with business teams to structure commercial arrangements aligned with legal and regulatory requirements.
- Manage complex legal matters and strategic initiatives in consultation with the Head of Legal.
Regulatory and Insurance Advisory
- Monitor, analyze, and interpret developments in insurance, corporate, data privacy, consumer protection, and related regulatory frameworks.
- Advise business stakeholders on regulatory implications and implementation requirements.
- Coordinate and obtain external legal opinions where necessary and assess their impact on business operations.
- Support and lead regulatory filings, annual renewals, and compliance-related projects.
Claims, Disputes and Litigation Management
- Develop and implement legal strategies relating to disputes, customer complaints, regulatory proceedings, arbitration and litigation matters.
- Review and finalize legal responses, notices, and communications.
- Manage engagements with external counsel and oversee litigation, arbitration budgets and case strategies.
- Partner closely with claims, operations, finance, and business teams regarding dispute resolution matters.
- Provide strategic recommendations balancing legal risk, operational impact, and commercial considerations.
Legal Research and Advisory
- Conduct detailed legal analysis and provide practical, business-oriented legal advice.
- Advise on employment law matters, investigations, disciplinary actions, and workplace policies.
- Review and approve policies, procedures, governance documents, and operational frameworks.
- Analyze legal risks associated with new products, distribution channels, technology solutions, and business initiatives.
- Support senior management in legal decision-making through concise and actionable legal opinions.
Insurance and Financial Services Operations and Reinsurance Support
- Review, analyse, and validate reinsurance slips against policy documentation, underwriting records, and internal approvals.
- Advise stakeholders on insurance coverage matters, policy interpretation, and contractual obligations.
- Support business teams in evaluating legal implications of insurance products and service offerings.
Corporate Governance and Legal Operations
- Oversee legal repositories, records management systems, and document governance processes.
- Ensure legal documentation, records, approvals, and repositories are maintained accurately and remain readily accessible.
- Establish standards for document retention, legal record management, and governance controls.
- Review and approve legal invoices, external counsel engagements, and related budgets.
- Lead development and enhancement of legal processes, templates, and operational efficiencies.
Audit and Compliance Management
- Lead legal support for internal audits, external audits, compliance reviews, and regulatory inspections.
- Manage stakeholder coordination and ensure timely completion of audit requirements.
- Provide legal clarifications, supporting documentation, and remediation guidance where necessary.
- Drive compliance initiatives and promote effective governance practices across the organization.
Stakeholder Management and Leadership
- Act as a trusted legal advisor to senior business leaders and cross-functional teams.
- Collaborate effectively with Finance, Operations, Claims, Compliance, Risk, HR, Product, and Commercial teams.
- Manage relationships with regulators, industry bodies, external counsel, and other advisors.
- Review, refine, and present legal updates, management reports, dashboards, and strategic recommendations to leadership.
- Mentor junior legal team members and contribute to capability building within the legal function.
- Enterprise-wide support and cross-functional collaboration language.
- Support for strategic transactions, acquisitions, partnerships, and other corporate initiatives as required.
- Representation of legal and compliance positions with regulators, clients, and other external stakeholders.
- Additional positioning as a senior legal resource supporting the Head of Legal on strategic matters and helping to build additional capability within the India legal team.
Financial Responsibility
This position is responsible for managing legal spend, including review and approval of legal invoices, oversight of external counsel engagements, and monitoring legal budgets related to disputes, litigation, arbitration and advisory matters.
What are the requirements needed for this position?
Experience
- 10-15 years of post-qualification experience, with substantial experience in the insurance, financial service and other service entity and/or reinsurance industry.
- Experience supporting insurance products, distribution arrangements, claims, and regulatory compliance matters.
- Prior in-house legal experience within the insurance, financial services, or insurtech sector is strongly preferred.
Skills
- Strong understanding of Indian insurance laws, IRDAI regulations, IFSC Regulations, contract law, corporate law, employment law, and regulatory frameworks.
- Strategic legal and commercial judgment.
- Contract negotiation and drafting expertise.
- Insurance, financial services and regulatory advisory capability.
- Litigation, arbitration and dispute management.
- Risk assessment and problem solving.
- Leadership and project management.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced business environment.
Knowledge
- Deep understanding of insurance and financial services operations, reinsurance structures, corporate governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance requirements.
- Ability to provide commercially practical and business-oriented legal advice while balancing legal and operational risks.
What are the preferred requirements needed for this position?
Education
- LL.B. degree from a recognized university.
- LL.M. or equivalent postgraduate qualification preferred.
- Qualified to practice law in India.
Knowledge & Skills
- Strong expertise in insurance laws and regulations.
- Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- Experience working with senior management and cross-functional leadership teams.
Previous Experience
- Significant experience within insurance, reinsurance, financial services, or insurtech organizations.
- Experience managing complex litigation, arbitration, regulatory matters, governance projects, and external counsel relationships.
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