Joseph C. Weiss
WORK HISTORY
2002-2006 SENIOR COUNSEL, New Jersey Natural Gas Company, Wall, NJ.
Managed outside counsel and litigation service vendors. Conducted internal investigations for the Board of Directors. Directed risk management, insurance and bonding functions. Handled employee discipline, termination, FMLA, disability accommodation and bargaining unit issues. Provided counseling on contractor relations, marketing matters, purchasing issues, real estate and land use matters, environmental issues, insurance coverage, preventive law, and employment law matters. Handled contract, slamming, subrogation and tort litigation. Provided training on corporate governance, Sarbanes-Oxley, purchasing, procurement, code-of-conduct and insurance issues. Supervised claims adjustment, collection and paralegal staff. Direct report to General Counsel.
2000-2002 OF COUNSEL to the Law Firm of Owens and Wolf, Mount Laurel, NJ.
Senior Trial and Appellate Counsel. Litigated products liability, employment litigation, malpractice, medical and professional license proceedings, professional liability matters, business and contract disputes and insurance coverage litigation. Acted as outside coverage and litigation management counsel to former employer ACE USA and other corporations. Experience with medical policy litigation, reinsurance disputes and disability coverage claims. The firm of Owens & Wolf dissolved on 10/30/02.
1989-2000 ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL, Cigna Corporation (later ACE-USA), Cherry Hill, NJ.
Managed high exposure litigation, coverage disputes and settlement negotiations in the United States, Quebec and Europe (francophone countries) including products liability, employment practices liability, medical and paramedical cases, professional liability, directors and officer’s liability, educators legal liability, environmental, personal injury and death cases and insurance coverage litigation. Provided day-to-day advice on litigation, insurance coverage, medical issues, employment matters, regulatory issues and contracts. Hired and managed outside counsel and litigation-related vendors. Acted as underwriting and third party claims management counsel. Fluent in the French language and familiar with European civil law legal procedures.
1982-1989 MANAGING ATTORNEY, American International Group, Mt. Laurel, NJ
Law Firm Manager and Senior Trial and Appellate Oversaw start-up and expansion of legal department offices in NJ, Ohio and Pa. Hired, supervised, evaluated and managed a staff of 75 persons and handled budgeting, procurement and real estate issues. Counsel for products liability matters, professional liability litigation including medical, dental, psychiatric and legal malpractice cases, general liability and coverage litigation.
EDUCATION
1975 Juris Doctor, Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark NJ. Graduated in top 20% of class.
1972 B.S. Po.Sci major and Natural Science (biology and chemistry) minor, Saint Peter’s College, Jersey City, NJ. Dean’s List.
1976 Admitted to practice before the NJ and Federal Courts.
SPECIAL SKILLS- Native French fluency.