Legal Advisor

Our client that specialised in **Legal Services** in seeking a **Legal Advisor** to join their Cape Town branch.

**Purpose of the job**: To assist the Claims Management Department in reaching its objectives. These include the speedily assessment of claims in a highly pressurised and admin intensive environment.

**Requirements**:

- LLB or relevant Law degree.
- Experience in insurance law.
- Admitted Attorney (Ideal).
- 3 - 4 years post admission working experience as an attorney.
- Experience working in a similar claims environment.

**Key Responsibilities**: As a claims handler, you will deal with every aspect of a claim.
- The provision of a first class client service.
- Deciding on legal liability issues.
- Compliance with all regulatory and internal systems controls.
- Dealing with all aspects of all classes of claims.
- Interrogating and handling claims through to settlement.
- Handling claims in accordance with laid down quality and service standards.
- Maintaining paper files and computer records in relation to own claims.
- Handling incoming written and telephone enquiries from clients and other stakeholders.
- Receive and consider claim documentation.
- Draft necessary letters and other correspondence.
- Research relevant information like accounting records.
- Research and peruse relevant opinions and case law.
- Draw up claim notes recommending admission or rejection of claims.
- Conduct Regulation 8 (bis) inquiries.
- Compile documents and evidence.
- Subpoena witnesses.
- Liaise with Board Members.
- Attend to payment of claims, other relevant expenses and costs.

**Skills, Knowledge, and Attributes**:
Proven ability to:

- Assess claims or similar transactions in an efficient and effective manner (speedily and error free);
- Manage high volumes of work;
- Administer high volumes of files manually and electronically.

**Proven knowledge in the process followed when doing assessment of claims**:

- Must have the legal knowledge necessary in order to be able to decide on legal liability issues, dealing with aspects of classes of claims, compliance with all regulatory internal systems controls, draw up claim notes recommending admission or rejection of claims, conduct regulation 8 (bis) enquiries.
- Must have interview and interrogation skills
- Must have knowledge on how to retain the safe custody of evidence gathered
- Must be able to give objective and unbiased opinion on matters within his/her expertise
- Must be able to have a bird’s eye view of the case in front of him/her and be able to recognise different possible irregularities and devise plans to tackle them pro-actively and ensure that the right people are involved and that they get the right information in regards to this.

**Good administration skills**
- Ability to receive a claim and to decide how to proceed from start to finish bearing in mind the set procedures and processes in the Claims Department already.
- Must have excellent time management skills (ability prioritise claims and decide on time resource allocation)

**Proven knowledge of accounting standards and procedures**
- Ability to interrogate accounting records
- Ability to interrogate bank statements and other bank related documents

Proven knowledge of applicable national laws and regulations

**Salary**: Market Related

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Cape Town, Western Cape: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (preferred)

**Education**:

- Bachelors (required)

**Experience**:

- post admission as a as an attorney: 3 years (required)
- claims environment: 3 years (required)
- insurance law: 3 years (required)

License/Certification:

- Admitted Attorney (preferred)
- LLB or relevant Law degree (required)