Illinois Insurance Director To Join Private Boutique Firm

Robert Muriel, director of the Illinois Department of Insurance, announced that he'll leave his position on Dec. 11. Muriel was appointed to the position by Governor J.B. Pritzker in March 2019.

Muriel is joining Hoke LLC, a Chicago boutique law firm, as a partner.

"Hoke LLC is proud to announce that Rob will be joining its policyholder recovery practice," Steve Hoke said in a news release. "Before becoming director, Rob was a talented trial lawyer. His deep blend of insurance and litigation experience makes him a unicorn of a kind, and he is perfectly suited to be a Hoke LLC partner. In addition to commercial policyholder recovery, Rob will also represent clients in insurance class actions and general commercial litigation."

As insurance director, Muriel was heavily involved in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, where he served as chair of the Accelerated Underwriting in Life Insurance Working Group, co-chair of one of the task forces of the Special Committee on Race & Insurance, and a member of numerous other task forces such as the Long-Term Care Insurance Task Force.

"Director Muriel's legal background and knowledge of insurance laws has been an asset to Illinois' effective regulation of the insurance industry. He was at the forefront of our efforts to hold companies accountable for compliance with mental health parity statutes and has been instrumental in establishing the Department as a leader among state regulators. I thank Rob for his service and valuable contributions, and I wish him continued success," said Gov. Pritzker.

IDOI's Chief Deputy Director of Product Lines, Shannon Whalen, will fill in as interim acting director.

"I would like to thank Gov. Pritzker for giving me the opportunity to serve and make a difference in the lives of Illinoisans" Muriel said. "It has also been my pleasure to lead such a hardworking, talented IDOI team, committed to protecting insurance consumers and fostering a competitive insurance marketplace."

This report compiled by InsuranceNewsNet staff.