Assistant General Counsel- M&A Law

Talcott Financial Group

$150K — $200K *
Legal & Accounting
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • J.D. from accredited U.S. law school; active bar member in good standing
  • Minimum of 8 years transactional experience at top-tier law firm or major life/annuity (re)insurer
  • Direct experience with reinsurance is mandatory
  • Familiarity with block reinsurance and loss transfers of various annuity and life liabilities
  • Experience with sidecar or strategic reinsurance platforms is advantageous
  • Proficient in managing complex agreements and treaties within life and annuity space
  • Strong ethical judgment and excellent client management skills.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the drafting and negotiation of complex transaction agreements, including various reinsurance treaties
  • Serve as principal legal contact for transactions, managing the execution from structuring to closing
  • Advise on key state insurance law matters and regulatory requirements
  • Oversee outside counsel and advisors, ensuring effective budget management
  • Monitor developments in the M&A landscape affecting the insurance industry and report to leadership
  • Support ongoing administration of reinsurance contracts post-closure
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, translating legal risks into business-friendly terms
  • Develop scalable legal operating procedures for the M&A and reinsurance functions.

Benefits

  • Hybrid work schedule options available in Hartford, CT or Charlotte, NC offices
  • Consideration for remote work arrangements
  • Ownership of high-profile transactions in a dynamic insurance sector
  • Opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and various functional areas
  • Engagement in complex cross-border transactions.
Full Job Description
Overview:

Talcott is seeking a senior transactional attorney to serve as a legal partner on the company's M&A, block and flow reinsurance, and strategic capital initiatives across its U.S., Bermuda, Cayman, Japan life and annuity platform. The Assistant General Counsel M&A law role will report to the Head of M&A law. This dynamic position will structure, negotiate, and execute complex domestic and cross-border transactions. The acquisitions may include in-force blocks, coinsurance, modco treaties, sidecars, joint ventures, and related financing arrangements. Our selected candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to Corporate Development, Investments, Actuarial, Finance, Risk, and senior leadership. This role offers significant ownership of high-profile transactions in one of the most active segments of the insurance industry. Our preferred candidate shall work out of our Hartford, CT. office or Charlotte, N.C. office on a hybrid schedule. We will consider remote work arrangements.

Responsibilities:
  • Lead drafting, review, and negotiation of term sheets, transaction agreements, specifically coinsurance, modco, and funds-withheld reinsurance treaties, retrocession agreements, trust and security/collateral arrangements, administrative services agreements, transition services agreements, and ancillary deal documentation.
  • Serve as primary legal point of contact on assigned transactions - managing deal execution end-to-end across structuring, due diligence, regulatory analysis, negotiation, closing, and post-closing integration.
  • Advise on Insurance Holding Company Act (Form A) matters, Credit for Reinsurance requirements, affiliate transaction approvals, and other state
  • Manage outside counsel, financial advisors, accountants, and actuarial consultants - driving quality, efficiency, budget discipline, and accountability.
  • Monitor and synthesize developments in NAIC working groups, state insurance law, Bermuda Monetary Authority rulemaking, and federal tax/securities regimes affecting (re)insurance M&A, and brief senior leadership on impact.
  • Support ongoing contractual administration of reinsurance arrangements post-close amendments, recaptures, commutations, novations, disputes and audits.
  • Partner with Corporate Development, Actuarial, Investments, Finance, Tax, Risk, and senior executives - translating legal risk into business terms and offering practical paths
  • Support scalable playbooks, precedent libraries, and operating procedures for the M&A and reinsurance legal function as the platform grows.

Qualifications:
  • J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school; active member in good standing of at least one U.S. bar
  • Minimum of 8 years of relevant transactional experience at a top-tier law firm and/or in-house at a major life/annuity (re)insurer, with meaningful exposure to insurance M&A and/or reinsurance
  • Direct experience with reinsurance is required for this position
  • Working knowledge o block reinsurance and loss portfolio transfers of annuity (fixed, indexed, variable, payout) and life (UL, ULSG, term, whole life, LTC) liabilities both within the US and in cross border transactions (Bermuda, Cayman, Asia Pacific)
  • Experience supporting a sidecar, third-party capital vehicle, or strategic reinsurance platform is a plus
  • Demonstrated ability to lead-negotiate complex purchase agreements and reinsurance treaties within the life and annuity space from term sheet to close, including coinsurance, modco, funds-withheld, and combination structures
  • Strong knowledge of issues related to risk transfer, recapture triggers, collateral and trust mechanics and certified and reciprocal jurisdiction reinsurer regimes.
  • Ability to translate complex actuarial, accounting, and tax concepts into clear contractual language.
  • Excellent client management skills, able to serve as a partner to the business to help form and execute strategic projects
  • Sound ethical and legal judgment with the capacity to effectively negotiate with business partners
  • Ability to work independently and/or collaborate with cross-functional team members outside
  • Demonstrated business savvy with a strategic focus for problem solving
  • Effective communicator with outstanding interpersonal and organizational skills
  • Ability to establish and maintain productive business relationships across the organization
  • A self-starter with strong organizational and project management skills

Compensation:

This range represents the minimum and maximum annual base salary we reasonably expect to pay for this role at the time of posting. The actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range. The base pay is based on factors including but not limited to experience, competence, and demonstration of proficiencies essential for the role. The base pay is just one component of Talcott's total annual compensation for employees. Other compensation may include annual bonuses, long-term incentives and recognition.

*This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without current or future visa sponsorship.

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Talcott Financial Group

More Legal & Accounting Jobs

Find similar Assistant General Counsel- M&A Law jobs: