Legal Counsel (Wordings)

Legal Counsel (Wordings)

Sydney, Australia

We are seeking an experienced Legal Counsel (Wordings), specialising in insurance law, to join our Australia Legal team based in Sydney. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in insurance law and insurance policy drafting, and proven experience in the Australian wholesale insurance market. 

What you’ll be DOING

What will your essential responsibilities include?

• Providing expert legal advice and support to our underwriting business partners on a wide range of insurance-related legal issues, with priority in drafting insurance policy wordings in all lines of business, reinsurance agreements, contract construction, and risk assessment. This will include reviewing existing products and those of our partners and co-insurers, and providing clear but legally cogent analysis and explanations on individual clauses right through to entire product wordings.
• Supporting underwriters in new and existing product development, and in achieving underwriting discipline through compliance with internal underwriting directives and compliance requirements, as well as ad-hoc clause coverage analysis in collaboration with the APAC Europe Litigation team.
• Collaborating with cross-functional business partners, including senior management, HR, claims, compliance, finance and risk teams, to provide legal guidance and support on strategic initiatives and business operations. This is expected to include but is not limited to: third party service agreements, outsourcing agreements, business agreements with insurance intermediaries, NDAs and confidentiality terms, terms of assignment and/or novation of insurance policies and/or ancillary contracts.
• Proactively looking for opportunities to contribute constructive feedback to the business, including providing regular feedback on legal issues identified through product reviews, as well as legal training on both product wordings and other relevant legal issues.
• Overseeing changes in insurance legislation and regulations primarily in Australia, ensuring that our product wordings and business partners are fully informed of the changes that may impact our wordings and our key business functions are supported in any changes that are required to be made.
• Supporting strategic product wording related projects run by our Australia Legal team, and our Global / APAC Europe Wordings teams.

You will be a member of the Australia Legal Team. You will report directly to our General Counsel, Australia and will have a dotted line to an APAC Europe Wordings manager.

What you will BRING

We’re looking for someone who has these abilities and skills:

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Qualified lawyer admitted to practice in Australia (or a comparable common law jurisdiction) and holding (or eligible to hold) a current Australian practicing certificate with extensive post-qualification experience, ideally within an insurer, an insurance intermediary (e.g. agency or broker), or an insurance law firm (with a focus on insurance advisory work).
• Proven experience in insurance law, insurance contracts, insurance product development, claims handling, and insurance regulatory compliance, with a focus on wholesale insurance classes.
• Proven technical, analytical and problem-solving capabilities in insurance contract interpretation, product development and/or claims handling.  Experience in the use of contract analytics technology tools a plus.
• A comprehensive understanding of what the business, legal and compliance needs are for individual insurance classes, with a focus on wholesale insurance products.
• Excellent communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, with a proactive and solution-oriented approach to project management and stakeholder management.
• Intellectual curiosity, with exceptional attention to detail and an ability to consider and approach challenges from all angles and with a diverse and open-minded approach.

Who WE are

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is known for solving complex risks. For mid-sized companies, multinationals and even some inspirational individuals we don’t just provide re/insurance, we reinvent it.

How? By combining a comprehensive and efficient capital platform, data-driven insights, leading technology, and the best talent in an agile and inclusive workspace, empowered to deliver top client service across all our lines of business − property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty.

With an innovative and flexible approach to risk solutions, we partner with those who move the world forward.

Learn more at axaxl.com

What we OFFER

Inclusion

AXA XL is committed to equal employment opportunity and will consider applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and origins, marital status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic.   At AXA XL, we know that an inclusive culture and enables business growth and is critical to our success. That’s why we have made a strategic commitment to attract, develop, advance and retain the most inclusive workforce possible, and create a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work and reach their highest potential. It’s about helping one another — and our business — to move forward and succeed.

• Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
• Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements
• Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits
• Named to the Diversity Best Practices Index
• Signatory to the UK Women in Finance Charter

Learn more at axaxl.com/about-us/inclusion-and-diversity.  AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Total Rewards

AXA XL’s Reward program is designed to take care of what matters most to you, covering the full picture of your health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security. It provides competitive compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits that evolve as you do.

We’re committed to rewarding your contribution for the long term, so you can be your best self today and look forward to the future with confidence.

Sustainability

At AXA XL, Sustainability is integral to our business strategy. In an ever-changing world, AXA XL protects what matters most for our clients and communities. We know that sustainability is at the root of a more resilient future. Our 2023-26 Sustainability strategy, called “Roots of resilience”, focuses on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations.

Our Pillars:

• Valuing nature: How we impact nature affects how nature impacts us. Resilient ecosystems - the foundation of a sustainable planet and society – are essential to our future. We’re committed to protecting and restoring nature – from mangrove forests to the bees in our backyard – by increasing biodiversity awareness and inspiring clients and colleagues to put nature at the heart of their plans.
• Addressing climate change: The effects of a changing climate are far-reaching and significant. Unpredictable weather, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels cause both social inequalities and environmental disruption. We're building a net zero strategy, developing insurance products and services, and mobilizing to advance thought leadership and investment in societal-led solutions.
• Integrating ESG: All companies have a role to play in building a more resilient future. Incorporating ESG considerations into our internal processes and practices builds resilience from the roots of our business. We’re training our colleagues, engaging our external partners, and evolving our sustainability governance and reporting.
• AXA Hearts in Action:  We have established volunteering and charitable giving programs to help colleagues support causes that matter most to them, known as AXA XL’s “Hearts in Action” programs. These include our Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave, and our annual volunteering day – the Global Day of Giving.

For more information, please see axaxl.com/sustainability.