General Counsel

The Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund (PLF) is hiring a full-time general counsel to provide expert legal and strategic advice to management on the legal duties and responsibilities of the organization. The PLF is the mandatory provider of primary legal malpractice coverage for Oregon lawyers in private practice. The PLF also offers additional malpractice coverage for law firms above primary limits on an optional, underwritten basis. As the General Counsel, you will work closely with the CEO and management team to ensure compliance and mitigate unnecessary risks to protect the interests of the organization.

Who We’re Looking For

The general counsel position entails a unique combination of breadth and depth, general and specific. In this role, you will spend significant time working independently on various legal and policy matters, while also providing high-level strategic advice to management from a broad perspective. Our ideal candidate enjoys parsing the nuances of policies and coverage plan language, but is equally comfortable analyzing and reporting about uncertain, future, and potentially abstract risks. Steady in a crisis, you are able to offer sound guidance for the good of the organization. Your general legal background, expertise on malpractice and coverage issues, and familiarity with the Oregon legal community enable you to think critically about and provide oversight on a wide range of matters that could impact the PLF.

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply. You will be joining a team of dedicated professionals in a supportive, affirming workplace.


What We Offer

We are pleased to state that the salary range for this position is $165,000-$190,000. We also offer an excellent benefits package, including participation in the Oregon PERS/OPSRP retirement program, health insurance, and other benefits.

This position is based at the PLF office in Tigard with a hybrid remote work setup and may involve some travel, primarily in Oregon.


What You’ll Do

As the PLF General Counsel, you will almost immediately begin training to support the PLF in the following ways:
  • Reviewing and advising regarding internal governance and employment policies
  • Providing expertise on various coverage issues, bad faith, and appellate risks with a holistic perspective
  • Advising on coverage plan language and taking the lead on revisions to improve the PLF primary, excess, and pro bono coverage plans
  • Overseeing and supervising litigation directly against the PLF or any of its employees
  • Reviewing and maintaining all PLF contracts
  • Performing various administrative duties to obtain necessary authority, funds, and documentation
  • Determining options to reduce or minimize potential liability to the PLF
  • Managing relationships and direction of outside counsel, including defining the scope of the assignment, eliciting reports at periodic intervals, authorizing work and staffing, communicating regarding settlement, participating in significant litigation events, and ensuring adequate representation
  • Maintaining current knowledge of substantive and procedural law across a wide range of practice areas


What You’ll Need to Be Successful in This Role

To set you up for success in this position, we ask that you meet these criteria:
  • Juris Doctor degree
  • Active member of the Oregon State Bar in good standing
  • At least 10 years of experience that includes substantial professional liability and insurance coverage knowledge and experience
  • An understanding of the Professional Liability Fund, the Oregon State Bar, Oregon law, and the Oregon legal community
  • The ability to analyze large caseloads of numerous active claims or litigation matters
  • A wide range of professional aptitudes, including interpersonal, organizational, analytical, communication, and writing skills
  • The ability to synthesize and explain complicated information and to communicate clearly and effectively
  • The capacity to work independently and also function effectively as a member of a team
  • Strong initiative, good judgment, and the ability to collaborate with others


Who We Are

For over forty years, the PLF has provided malpractice coverage to lawyers in private practice in the state of Oregon. The PLF is a unique organization within the United States. While only two states in the U.S. require malpractice coverage for lawyers, Oregon is the only state that provides that coverage through a mandatory program. The mission and purpose of the PLF is to serve the lawyers of Oregon. The existence of the PLF also provides a benefit to the public because lawyers have malpractice coverage.

How You Can Apply

Please email your cover letter and resume to:

Jeff Crawford
HR Manager
Email: HR@osbplf.org
Subject line: General Counsel Position – (your name)

Application Deadline: August 26, 2022

We look forward to receiving your application.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The PLF is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at the PLF are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or identity, age, disability, family or parental status, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

If you wish to identify yourself as a qualified person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act and would like to request an accommodation for the application process, please contact Jeff Crawford, HR Manager, at HR@osbplf.org.

Application Deadline: August 26, 2022