Legal Officer (Fixed Term Contract) - First Assurance Kenya

Education and Experience Required

• Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from a recognized institution.
  

• Must be an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a valid and current practicing certificate.
  

• A registered member of the Law Society of Kenya in good standing.
  

• At least 1-2 years’ experience legal practice in Insurance/financial institution with experience in Commercial Law, Litigation and Conveyance
  

• • Receiving summons and determining whether liability attaches on the part of the Company.
    

  • Appointment of service providers to handle company matters as per policy and maintenance of a register for such appointments.
    

  • Reviewing legal claims lodged against our insured’s and engaging third parties in out-of-court negotiations in line with past precedents and set parameters. Always ensuring that adequate reserves are maintained.
    

  • Instructions to external lawyers on how the cases are to be handled.
    

  • Reviewing correspondence and opinions from external lawyers and advising management.
    

  • Engage in pre-trial briefings & in conjunction with external lawyers prepare witnesses for court attendance.
    

  • Responding to advocates correspondence and ensuring up to date information is in each file.
    

  • Reviewing judgments and recommending settlement or appeals. Making sure that adequate reserves are maintained.
    

  • Receiving summons to enter appearance and plaint from our insured’s and distributing the same to our panel of external advocates.
    

  • Negotiating matters out of court and keeping registers of such matters.
    

  • Periodically review legal files to ensure accurate reserves are maintained and to ensure the files are up to date.
    

  • Handling the Company’s recoveries from third parties and other insurance companies by instituting suits or out of Court negotiations and follow up thereof.
    

  • Ensuring payments are raised in good time, authorized, and forwarded to Finance Department. Follow up on judgment payments to avoid executions.
    

  • Pursue Third Party recoveries for the Company.
    

  • Distributing the work coming into the claims legal department ensuring that all mails are actioned.
    

  • Approving all discharge vouchers and judgments as per the approval limits
    

  • Reviewing the external advocates fees to ensure that the fee notes are raised as per remuneration order.
    

  • Providing legal advice, opinion and assistance on all legal claims matters to the management.
    

  • Attending court hearing on behalf of the organization as and when required.
    

  • Ensure Status Reports from service providers are received as per the guidelines.
    

  • Prepare monthly reports and any other report that may be requested
    

  Operations
  

  • Ensure maintenance of documentation and legal databases.
    

  • Ensure biannual review of all outstanding liability claims.