Manager – Outside Counsel

Overview

Responsible for strategic analysis, governance, evaluation and performance oversight of outside counsel relationships. Ownership of all aspects of law firm management processes including selection, panel management, rate administration, legal spend optimization, geographic coverage analysis and outside counsel performance management. Partners with Claims Legal leadership to ensure overall program maintains a high-performing, cost effective and fully diversified panel counsel program.

Responsibilities

Law Firm Research and Vetting

• Conduct comprehensive assessments of prospective law firms and legal service providers.
• Research law firm capabilities, reputation, litigation outcomes, staffing models, industry experience and geographic coverage.
• Perform due diligence reviews of law firms for consideration as panel.
• Analyze firm compliance records including insurance requirements, areas of practice, technology capabilities and operational maturity.
• Prepare recommendation memoranda for review by leadership regarding panel admission and expansion opportunities.

Panel Portfolio Management

• Evaluate adequacy of approved law firms by all relevant attributes including geography, line of business/expertise.
• Identify coverage gaps and recommend additions, consolidations and/or removals.
• Monitor distribution of assignments across firms.
• Analyze referral patterns and utilization trends.

Outside Counsel Engagement and Onboarding Management

• Coordinate and continuously evaluate the end-to-end onboarding process for outside law firms and legal service providers.
• Analyze onboarding workflows, cycle times, stakeholder feedback and operational metrics to identify opportunities to improve efficiency.
• Facilitate collection, review, tracking, and maintenance of required onboarding documentation, including engagement materials, guideline acknowledgments, insurance documentation, tax forms, diversity information, and other compliance-related records.
• Evaluate legal referral exceptions against business, performance, geographic and cost considerations and approve requests within delegated authority or provide substantive recommendations on material exceptions.
• Assess law firm onboarding requirements and recommend process enhancements that reduce administrative burden while maintaining governance and compliance standards.
• Monitor onboarding status, identify bottlenecks, and proactively drive resolution of issues impacting law firm activation timelines.
• Conduct periodic reviews of law firm records and engagement requirements to ensure documentation remains current, accurate and compliant.
• Conduct initial information gathering for the evaluation of prospective law firms, completing necessary due diligence activities and internal operational assessments.

Outside Counsel Performance Management

• Analyze outside counsel engagement data, onboarding metrics, compliance trends, staffing models and other operational KPIs to identity improvement opportunities.
• Assess law firm participation, responsiveness and adherence to requirements and guidelines and provide recommendations to leadership regarding process improvements and/or remediation steps.
• Conduct periodic performance reviews, identify remediation opportunities and corrective action plans.
• Identify trends, risks and opportunities within counsel management and recommend solutions that improve service delivery and operational effectiveness.
• Participate in benchmarking efforts and research industry best practices related to counsel management, legal operations and vendor governance.

Rate & Staffing Analysis

• Analyze law firm submissions and annual rate increase requests.
• Coordinate the submission, review, and maintenance of law firm rates and timekeeper information.
• Evaluate rate proposals against market benchmarks, historical spend, and existing internal performance measures. Seek out business partner feedback, formulate negotiation positions and recommend disposition.
• Evaluate law firm staffing and resource utilization and assess staffing structure efficiency and billing practices.
• Maintain rate documentation, approvals, and supporting records in accordance with established policies and controls.
• Develop recommendations regarding rate approvals, negotiations and alternative fee arrangements.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure approved rate structures, staffing arrangements and law firm information remain accurate across applications and operational platforms.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, legal studies, insurance, analytics or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5 years’ experience with progressive responsibilities in legal operations, vendor management, procurement, compliance, outside counsel management or related business operations.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating law firm performance, staffing models, billing practices and rate structures.
• Strong understanding of law firm economics, legal billing methodologies and litigation management practices.
• Experience analyzing legal spend, developing performance metrics and making data-driven recommendations.
• Experience conducting vendor due diligence, operational assessments and performance evaluations.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and critical thinking skills with the ability to evaluate complex operational and business issues.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively engage law firm leadership, attorneys and senior business stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience utilizing reporting, analytics or business intelligence tools.
• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities and lead cross-functional initiatives.

Preferred:

• Property & Casualty insurance industry experience.
• Experience supporting panel counsel programs or strategic vendor/law firm management initiatives.
• Experience conducting rate negotiations or supporting alternative fee arrangement reviews.
• Knowledge of e-billing, matter management, or legal spend management platforms.
• Knowledge of litigation operations, claims litigation and insurance defense practices.
• Experience developing law firm scorecards, vendor governance frameworks and performance management programs.
• Experience with business intelligence and reporting tools such as Power BI, Tableau or other similar platforms.
• MBA, Paralegal certificate, CPCU, AIC or other relevant professional designation.

This job description is designed to provide a general overview of the job and does not entail a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities that will be required in this position. AmTrust has the right to revise this job description at any time.

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What We Offer

 AmTrust Financial Services offers a competitive compensation package and excellent career advancement opportunities. Our benefits include: Medical & Dental Plans, Life Insurance, including eligible spouses & children, Health Care Flexible Spending, Dependent Care, 401k Savings Plans, Paid Time Off.  AmTrust strives to create a diverse and inclusive culture where thoughts and ideas of all employees are appreciated and respected. This concept encompasses but is not limited to human differences with regard to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, culture, religion or disabilities.  AmTrust values excellence and recognizes that by embracing the diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives of its workforce, it will sustain a competitive advantage and remain an employer of choice. Diversity is a business imperative, enabling us to attract, retain and develop the best talent available. We see diversity as more than just policies and practices. It is an integral part of who we are as a company, how we operate and how we see our future