Health Care - General Attorney in Dallas, TX

In-House

Dallas, TX

Health Care - General Attorney in Dallas, TX

Attorney

Min 8 yrs required

No

Associate General Counsel

Job Title

Associate General Counsel

Job Responsibilities

The Associate General Counsel serves as an experienced attorney, contributing significantly to the Legal Affairs Department’s core legal services. The primary responsibilities include:

- Providing strategic advice and guidance on legal and regulatory matters including healthcare business transactions and contracts, hospital system operations and governance, healthcare-related regulatory investigations and litigation, employment, medical malpractice, and vendor/commercial claims and litigation.
- Advising affiliated organizations on health plan and/or intellectual property matters, nonprofit governance and tax matters, public law issues, and all related functions and activities.
- Assisting with department and client management as requested by department leadership.
- Overseeing and managing legal services for assigned functional areas within the system, including contractual, business, employment, healthcare, regulatory, and operational matters.
- Reviewing and drafting governance documents, including committee and policy documents in accordance with state and federal laws, regulations, and accreditation standards.
- Managing litigation against the organization, including pre-litigation investigation, document preservation and discovery practice, preparing for and attending key meetings, mediations, depositions, and trial and appellate proceedings.
- Advising on medical staff, real estate, employment, regulatory, compliance, construction, public law, and procurement matters.
- Overseeing internal investigations, grievances, and appeals related to compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
- Advising the Board of Managers within assigned areas of responsibility.
- Analyzing and reviewing contracts, including agreements for clinical services, managed care and commercial payor relationships, complex transactions, purchasing, employment, real estate transactions, business associate agreements, construction services, professional services, research affiliation, and other documents related to operations.
- Managing and coordinating with outside counsel as needed, ensuring timely review of their invoices and expenses in accord with the organization’s Outside Counsel Engagement Guidelines.
- Advising on responses to public information requests and related proceedings.
- Maintaining knowledge of relevant legal developments in state and federal laws and regulations, and healthcare industry trends.
- Supporting government relations functions as needed.
- Using analytical, problem-solving, and communications skills to identify potential solutions to legal and other problems, implementing timely decisions independently or after appropriate consultation.
- Responding to requests for information and legal guidance.
- Providing counsel and case/matter coordination to ensure timely and effective legal intervention/representation.
- Maintaining a positive working relationship with employees and management, vendors, representatives of other hospitals, outside counsel, government representatives, and other professionals.
- Maintaining regular, in-person communications with clients and stakeholders to ensure operational awareness and dedicated legal support.

Education and Experience Information

Education

- Must be a graduate of an accredited law school.

Experience

- Must have a minimum of eight (8) years of law practice experience with a preference towards healthcare industry transactions, regulatory investigations, labor/employment law, litigation, medical malpractice, healthcare industry and/or governmental entity vendor/commercial contracts, health plan operations, provider/payor issues, hospital operations, and/or risk management functions.

Equivalent Education and/or Experience

- May have an equivalent combination of education and experience to substitute for the experience requirements.

Certification/Registration/Licensure

- Must have a current Texas license to practice law in good standing; OR, must pursue “Admission without Examination” based on reciprocity as outlined by the most recent standards established by the State Bar of Texas resulting in receipt of a Texas law license within 9 months of hire date.
- Must maintain good standing as a licensed attorney with the State Bar of Texas or an equivalent state bar association after admission.

Skills or Special Abilities

- Must be able to effectively communicate with all levels of personnel.
- Must be a good team player, able to work well with colleagues and other departments, and coordinate effectively with internal and outside legal counsel.
- Must have good investigative skills.
- Must be organized, detail-oriented, and have excellent oral and written communication and negotiation skills.
- Must have critical thinking and practical strategy skills as applied to hospital/healthcare business.
- Must be able to quickly analyze operational information and provide first-line legal advice.
- Must be willing to participate in a 24/7 attorney on-call schedule (currently, one week every 7-8 weeks).
- Must be willing to learn new areas of healthcare operations and law sufficient to support an innovative, dynamic academic medical center.
- Must be willing to effectively manage outside counsel and Legal Affairs paralegals and other staff.

Salary Information

Salary information is not provided in the text.