Associate General Counsel

Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) is seeking an experienced Associate General Counsel to join our legal team in New Orleans, Louisiana. This hybrid role (3 days per week in office) will serve as a key legal advisor supporting the Company's group health, employee benefits, and insurance operations, with a primary focus on ERISA, state insurance regulations, and related employee benefit matters. The Associate General Counsel will partner closely with executive leadership and business teams to provide strategic, business-focused legal counsel on regulatory compliance, product development, commercial agreements, and risk management, while also supporting broader corporate, litigation, governance, and transactional matters as needed. The ideal candidate combines strong insurance law expertise with sound business judgment and thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where legal strategy directly supports business growth and operational excellence.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Legal Counsel & Business Advisory:

• Serve as a strategic legal advisor to business leaders across PALIG and its subsidiaries.
• Provide practical, business-focused legal guidance on insurance operations, corporate initiatives, regulatory matters, and strategic transactions.
• Partner with stakeholders to identify legal risks and develop solutions that support organizational objectives.

Maintain familiarity with the various regulatory agencies and legal issues affecting the Company’s business interests.  Develop proficiency in the following subject matters:

• ERISA (notice obligations, mandated benefits, excepted benefits; COBRA)
• HIPAA
• Affordable Care Act
• Employment law (e.g., anti-discrimination statutes for benefits based on age/gender)
• Service Contract Act/Davis Bacon
• State insurance law (50 states)
• Taxation of group benefits
• DOL regulations with respect to administration of self-funded plans
• Transactions within a Holding Company System
• NAIC Corporate Amendment Filings/Processes
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• DOL regulations regarding Employee Benefits Plans
• Escheat

Commercial Contracts, Corporate Documents Transactions: Review and draft contracts, policies documentation and a variety of commercial agreements. Below are some examples:

• Managing General Underwriter Agreements, Third Party Administration Agreements, Producer Agreements, Reinsurance Agreements, other Service Provider Agreements
• Specific and Aggregate Stop Loss Policy Forms
• Excepted Benefits Policy Forms (Accident, Supplemental Coverage, Hospital Indemnity Coverage, Dental/Vision Coverage)
• Merger/Acquisition agreements
• Proposed changes to governance documents; employee benefit plan documents.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management:

• Partner with Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) teams to ensure adherence to applicable federal, state, and international regulatory requirements.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and assess their potential impact on business operations.
• Provide proactive guidance on compliance strategies, risk mitigation, and governance best practices.
• Support regulatory examinations, filings, and inquiries as needed.

Litigation & Outside Counsel Management: Manage the Company’s use of outside counsel to provide the optimization of the Company’s resources and obtain the most effective representation on all legal matters affecting the Company.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school
• 10 plus years of recent legal experience, preferably within the insurance, employee benefits, healthcare, or financial services industries.
• Current admission to the Bar of any state and the ability to register as in-house counsel in Louisiana. 
• Bilingual English and Spanish preferred (or some level of professional proficiency)

PROFESSIONAL STRENGTHS:

• Able to quickly gain credibility and respect with peers, subordinates and superiors.
• Professional demeanor with the ability to affectively represent the Company to outside parties, various other state and federal regulatory agencies, outside legal counsel and other business and professional representatives.
• Unquestioned integrity with the necessary skills and abilities to serve as a contributing member of the legal team.
• Excellent communication skills with outstanding persuasive abilities.
• Outstanding business acumen with the ability to provide legal expertise to the Company with an appreciation for the best business interests of the Company.
• Sound and practical business judgment and a keen interest in deeply understanding the businesses represented.
• Capable of providing consistent, high-quality legal service in a dynamic business environment.
• Ability to travel, if needed.

What We Offer:

• Competitive compensation package (base salary & bonus)
• Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, 401(k), paid time off, and tuition reimbursement
• Medical and dental coverage effective the first of the month following 30 days of service
• Hybrid work opportunities

About Us:

Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) serves the life, accident, and health insurance needs of individuals and businesses across 49 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands through its U.S.-based member companies—Pan-American Life Insurance Company and Pan-American Assurance Company.

At PALIG, our employees are our greatest asset. We value collaboration, trust, and the confidence of our policyholders. Our long-standing commitment to excellence continues to drive our success.

Pan-American Life is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace.