Solo legal counsel

The Legal Counsel is the sole in-house legal expert at Portima. The role ensures the legal compliance of Portima's solutions and activities with the Belgian insurance regulatory framework, so that our products fully meet the needs and obligations of our broker and insurance company clients.

The Legal Counsel acts as the central point of contact for all legal matters – internal and external – and works hand in hand with the IT Sourcing & Procurement Manager and the Data Protection Officer (DPO). It is the legal counterpart of the IT Sourcing & Procurement role: where Procurement controls cost and supplier risk, Legal Counsel controls legal and sector compliance risk.

Portima is not looking for a 'classic' lawyer: they want someone with a strong business and product mindset, able to translate the insurance legal framework into concrete recommendations for their teams.

Key Responsibilities

1. Legal advisory & compliance for Portima solutions (top priority)

• Ensure that Portima solutions (Brio, Portima Connect, MyBroker, …) comply with the Belgian insurance legal framework and meet the needs of our broker and insurance company clients. 
• Master and apply IDD (Insurance Distribution Directive) and FSMA-related obligations applicable to brokers and insurance distribution.
• Identify legal risks linked to product evolutions and new initiatives.
• Support the team to translate regulatory requirements into concrete, actionable recommendations for Product, IT and Business teams.
• Interact with legal peers across the insurance ecosystem: broker federations and insurance companies.

2. Contract management & legal governance

• Review and validate the contracts Portima offers to its clients (brokers, insurance companies, partners) 
• Review employee-related contracts and HR documents with a legal dimension.
• Review and validate IT and service supplier contracts. 
• Maintain and evolve Portima's contractual standards and templates in collaboration with Business, Procurement, IT and HR.
• Provide legal support, conduct legal research and identify needs for specific legal expertise (DORA, regulatory, AI Act, GDPR, new regulations …) and rely on external experts when required. 

3. Litigation & risk management (coordination only)

• Manage litigation files when they arise: legal risk analysis, definition of strategy, follow-up.
• The role does not plead before courts – litigation handling is delegated to specialized external counsels.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders and external counsels and safeguard Portima's interests.

Education

• Belgian Master's degree in Law (mandatory).

Legal expertise

• Solid expertise in Belgian insurance law, including IDD and FSMA obligations (mandatory) gained in an insurance company, broker, broker federation, insurtech / fintech, or specialized law firm with a strong move-to-in-house track record.
• Ability to review and challenge commercial contracts (client-facing and supplier-facing), with willingness to be supported by external counsels on the most complex deals.
• Working knowledge of GDPR / data protection and general business / contract law.
• Awareness of DORA and its implications for ICT providers serving the financial / insurance sector – willingness to deepen this expertise over time, with the support of external experts.
• Ability to conduct legal research and frame recommendations on emerging topics (AI Act, …).
• Familiarity with ISO 27001, security and compliance frameworks is an asset.
• Experience in advising on regulated products and managing contractual / litigation files.

Skills

• Ability to analyze IT solutions and digital products from a legal angle (key differentiator for this role at Portima).
• Capacity to translate a legal framework into operational decisions and product requirements.
• Strong command of contract management and legal risk management.
• Pragmatic, business-oriented approach – not a 'classic' lawyer profile.
• Solution-oriented and able to challenge constructively.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Languages

• Fluent in French and/or Dutch (written and spoken) and a very good knowledge of the other language – mandatory.
• Good working knowledge of English is a plus.

• The possibility to work as an employee or as a self-employed person
• A comprehensive remuneration package (including a company car and an extensive list of fringe benefits) if in an employee status
• The possibility of home-working up to 3 days/week