Job Details

Professional Liability Underwriter / Staff Attorney

The Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund (PLF) is hiring a full-time professional liability underwriter and staff attorney to join its unique and well-established Excess Coverage team. The PLF is the mandatory provider of primary legal malpractice coverage for Oregon lawyers in private practice. The PLF also provides additional malpractice coverage for law firms above primary limits on an optional, underwritten basis. The PLF Excess Program provides coverage to about 2,000 lawyers and 700 law firms each year.

Who We’re Looking For

The PLF Excess team deals with a blend of information science and people relations. If you have a strong analytical mind and a keen eye for data, combined with natural curiosity and a customer service mentality, this position is for you! Our ideal underwriter/staff attorney revels in their inner sleuth and derives satisfaction from identifying outliers and inconsistencies. You are methodical and organized, unfazed by periods of high-volume work. You love to sink your teeth into learning the intricacies of new systems and programs. Yet you also enjoy explaining the nuances of processes to others and helping them locate and navigate solutions. At the end of the day, you are a friendly problem solver, eager to be of assistance to stakeholders and coworkers alike.

If this sounds like you, we are excited to have you 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 $83,175 – 116,398. 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 throughout Oregon when COVID restrictions are lifted.

What You’ll Do

As the newest member of the PLF Excess team, you will hit the ground running and almost immediately begin training to support and administer the Excess Program in the following ways:

• Advising and educating lawyers and law office staff in all aspects of PLF malpractice coverage, both primary and Excess. Areas of assistance include understanding excess coverage limits, cyber coverage, tail coverage, departing or joining a firm, risk reduction, and more.
• Underwriting applications for PLF Excess Coverage.
• Guiding firms through the Excess application process, including sending initial correspondence, underwriting, preparing quotes, binding coverage, and preparing declarations and other coverage amendments as required.
• Having opportunities to present CLEs to lawyers and law firm staff across the state about PLF primary and Excess coverage.
• Having opportunities to write for various legal publications such as the PLF’s inBrief newsletter and its inPractice blog on the topic of PLF malpractice coverage.
• Working with the PLF Communications team to develop ways to market and promote PLF Excess Coverage to lawyers and law firms in Oregon.

What You’ll Need to Be Successful in This Role

Working with the PLF Excess Program is an exciting opportunity to assist lawyers in a variety of ways, but it’s also a challenging role that will stretch you as well as stimulate you. To set you up for success in this position, we ask that you meet these criteria:

• A law degree or at least five years of experience working in an insurance-related field
• A wide range of professional aptitudes, including interpersonal, organizational, analytical, communication, and writing skills
• Proficient knowledge of the Microsoft Office productivity suite, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word; Adobe Acrobat; the ability to learn and use new software applications, programs, and databases
• 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
• An understanding of the Professional Liability Fund, the Oregon State Bar, and the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct

Who We Are

For over forty years, the PLF has provided malpractice coverage to lawyers in private practice in the state of Oregon. Beginning in 1992, the PLF began offering Excess Coverage to law firms in Oregon. The PLF is a unique organization within the United States. Though a handful of other 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.

What You’ll Love

The mission and purpose of the PLF is to serve the lawyers of Oregon. At the PLF, we believe that assistance to one lawyer is assistance to all. “Helping each lawyer when they need it, for the good of the whole profession" - as our home page proudly states - is the animating force behind the PLF's mission and our staff's dedication to serving the Oregon legal community.

We invite you to explore our website and learn more about us!

How You Can Apply

Please email your cover letter and resume to:

Jeff Crawford
HR Manager
Email: HR@osbplf.org
Subject line: Professional Liability Underwriter / Staff Attorney Position – (your name)

Application Deadline: June 1, 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