Staff Legal Liability Trial Attorney- Houston

Zurich is currently looking for an experienced Trial Attorney to join our Staff Legal Office and work out of their home in the Houston area.

This litigator will be responsible for representing the commercial insureds of a prestigious and financially stable commercial insurance carrier, by preparing and trying moderate to high exposure General Liability cases from a challenging and varied caseload.

If you are ready for a career move, consider working for a company with a global footprint that offers terrific benefits including an incentive plan, 401K match and a second 401K company contribution, flexible work options and a great culture.

This is an exciting opportunity to work for a well-respected Company and represent its insureds in all phases of litigation, while being part of a high-performing law office.

The ideal candidate will engage in the practice of law at all times in compliance with the ethical standards established by the Federal Courts and Texas State Bar.

Duties of this position encompass all aspects of insurance defense, including initial investigation, legal analysis and advice, evaluating damages, preparing and filing legal pleadings and documents, performing legal research, preparing for and conducting pre-trial discovery, preparing for and aggressively handling hearing and trials, and conducting post-trial activities where appropriate.

The candidate will demonstrate strong case analysis ability and have a track record of effective settlement and trial skills, as well as the ability to work independently without substantial supervision.

In addition they will be expected to mentor less experienced attorneys and provide leadership and training across the organization.

Basic Qualifications :

• Juris Doctor and 7 or more years of experience in the Litigation area
• Member of the Texas State Bar in good standing
• Experience with Microsoft Office and Adobe
• Experience working with Lexis or Westlaw
• Knowledge of the insurance industry, claims and the insurance defense litigation legal environment

Preferred Qualifications :

• Experience handling insurance industry claims and general commercial litigation, including but not limited to wrongful death, commercial motor vehicle torts, products and premises liability, and personal injury, from inception through trial.
• Must be well organized with good analytical skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, proactive approach to file handling and caseloads, and able to work independently as well as within a team environment.
• Relevant first chair jury trial experience
• Ability to budget costs and calculate exposure for clients.
• Efficient work habits, knowledge of billables and diary review with substantive and procedural legal knowledge.
• Understands the staff counsel function and role in overall business.
• A functional and extensive knowledge of the law and procedure
• Prior experience in an insurance defense environment
• Strong negotiation skills
• Effective problem solving skills
• Experience working in a team-based environment
• Strong collaboration skills
• PC literate

As a condition of employment at Zurich, employees must adhere to any COVID-related health and safety protocols in place at that time ().