Embracing Change: Transitioning from a Law Firm to a Career in Insurance
Jamie Carsey
Managing Director, Claims – Legal and Head of Litigation
Markel
People do not stay in one job forever these days: over the course of a professional career, it is common to seek new opportunities and explore diverse fields. However, I really believed I was the exception. I have wanted to be a lawyer my entire life. What I was going to be when I grew up was never in question. It was a dream come true when I landed at a fantastic civil litigation firm, where I eventually became an equity partner. I loved my law firm life and never thought about leaving it.
But, as they say, “never say never,” because out of the blue, an opportunity emerged for me to take an in-house role with an insurance company. Surprising everyone, including myself, I took it. It turned out to be a great decision for me.
Flexing your mental muscles
There are numerous reasons for lawyers to consider transitioning to a job in insurance.
For one thing, I started to realize that my skillset was not exclusively bound to the legal domain. As you move up in a law firm, you inevitably start getting more “business” or “law firm management” responsibilities. A lot of lawyers hate this; it is way outside of their comfort zone.
However, I found that after I joined the insurance industry, I started tapping into a business side of myself I did not know was in there. Abilities in critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, and problem-solving are highly valuable in most industries, including insurance. I could not ignore the part of me that wanted to flex my business solutions and leadership muscles beyond the law firm environment.
Similarly, as lawyers, our expertise can start to become a bit niche. Working at my former law firm, I would frequently get a crash course in the underlying matters at issue in the lawsuit—things like the chemical makeup of good versus bad coal; how levee systems work; or the structural integrity of a bridge or skyscraper. My focus, however, was necessarily on the legal aspects.
In insurance, by contrast, you can broaden your interests and expertise to whatever you are passionate about, and your scope is much more likely to be far-reaching. Some people may not think insurance is cutting edge or exciting, but that’s not the case. Insurance is the backbone of our economy. Without insurance, people and businesses wouldn’t be able to take risks. If you read the major headlines of what is going on in the world on any given day—overseas wars, natural disasters, financial crises, or even a big pile up on your local highway—you can be confident that insurance is involved, and that insurance professionals are at the forefront.
Enjoying greater work-life balance
Another reason attorneys might want to consider transitioning to an insurance role is work-life balance. It is no secret that law firm life is demanding: many movies feature plotlines on how hard one has to work to rise through the ranks. Now, this was not a factor for me when I decided to leave the law firm: I was very happy there, and dare I say, I didn’t really have a lot of “mom guilt.” But once I transitioned into my in-house role, I realized I was missing out on more at home than I had thought. As a trial lawyer, you do not control your schedule; your cases do. You always tell your family that you can go on that vacation … unless you are in trial. You will say you can definitely do that hiking trip with your friends from college … unless you are in trial.
When you work in-house, you can just say yes. That is pretty nice. Moving to an in-house role can also free up one’s time to explore personal interests outside of work. It gave me the bandwidth to foster and adopt our second child.
Advancing at your own pace
Along similar lines, insurance also affords professionals the opportunity to set their own pace for career advancement. Law firms can be pressure cookers that thrive on stress. Combining that intense environment with the commonly shared “up or out” mentality—meaning advance up the ladder or potentially be fired—is not every lawyer’s cup of tea. The insurance industry, by contrast, offers opportunities to use one’s legal and non-legal skills in a less-stressful, more-stable environment with numerous, wide-ranging growth opportunities. The insurance industry offers a range of career paths, from underwriting and claims management to risk analysis and actuarial science. Professionals can explore various roles and find one that best aligns with their skills and interests; and they can advance at their own pace.
Speaking of advancement, I have definitely noticed that lawyers who transition to insurance can have very fulfilling careers. The skillsets for law and insurance certainly complement one another. Lawyers make good insurance professionals because both tend to be client centric. Also, insurance professionals deal with complex risk assessment and mitigation strategies daily. Legal expertise can therefore be instrumental in navigating intricate policy issues and crafting innovative solutions for clients. Even the more nuanced side of your legal knowledge can be leveraged in an insurance role, including contract drafting and negotiation, application of regulations, claim advocacy, risk assessment, and problem solving.
Conclusion: Consider broadening your horizons
Switching from law to insurance was a big step for me, but it has been immensely rewarding. Insurance is a dynamic industry that offers potential for growth and fulfillment. If you are a legal professional considering new opportunities, give the insurance industry another look. It provides a welcoming space to leverage your skills, make a difference in clients’ lives, and embrace fresh challenges. It has been a great experience for me.
