System Director Senior Counsel - CommonSpirit Health

CommonSpirit Health was formed by the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and Dignity Health. With more than 700 care sites across the U.S. from clinics and hospitals to home-based care and virtual care services CommonSpirit is accessible to nearly one out of every four U.S. residents. Our world needs compassion like never before. Our communities need caring and our families need protection. With our combined resources CommonSpirit is committed to building healthy communities advocating for those who are poor and vulnerable and innovating how and where healing can happen both inside our hospitals and out in the community.

The Legal Operations Senior Counsel provides a general array of direct, high-level legal services and serves as a thought-leader and trusted advisor primarily to one or more assigned CommonSpirit Operating Divisions, which may include regional delivery systems, acute care facilities, other inpatient or outpatient/ambulatory operations, system-level functions, service lines, or related activities, working independently and with minimal supervision, in a manner consistent with CommonSpirit’s mission, vision, and values.  The CommonSpirit Operating Divisions currently include: the Arizona Division, the Midwest Division, the Northern California Division, the Southeast Division, the Southwest Division, the Texas Division, and the Pacific Northwest Division (Operating Divisions).

• Perform direct, consistent, high-level legal services for, represent, and support assigned CommonSpirit Operating Division.  Direct legal services will include, but not be limited to: preparation, review, and revision of complex non-physician agreements and complex physician agreements (using templates adopted by the Legal Team, as appropriate); and provision of sophisticated legal counsel and guidance relating to health care operational issues, including patient consent, bioethics, risk management, medical staff, licensing and certification, policies, contractual arrangements (rights and responsibilities), regulatory requirements, Stark and Anti-Kickback compliance, and other areas of health care operations subject to state and federal laws and regulations. 
• Serve as a legal subject matter expert capable of providing sophisticated legal advice to assigned Operating Division leadership, management, boards, and committees, as well as to other members of the Legal Team and be knowledgeable about other health care laws applicable to CommonSpirit.
• Develop and maintain subject matter expertise in one or more health care operations law substantive areas supported by the Legal Team and use this expertise for the benefit of CommonSpirit.  This will include serving as a subject matter expert on one or more areas of health care operations law to assist other members of the Legal Team, as well as members of CommonSpirit business operations across the enterprise. 
• Actively engage and coordinate with other Legal Team members, as needed, for effective delivery of health care legal operations services across the enterprise.
• Supervise, direct, manage, and collaborate with junior attorneys, paralegals, executive assistants, and other Legal Team support staff.
• Manage and evaluate outside counsel engaged to provide health care operations-related legal support.
• Prepare, review, and revise corporate documents (e.g., articles of incorporation and bylaws) and assist with internal CommonSpirit approval processes (e.g., Governance Matrix, Approval and Signature Authority Policy, etc.) for assigned Operating Division.
• Manage and assist with assigned Operating Division litigation, administrative proceedings, and other regulatory (including licensure and certification) proceedings or matters.

The job summary and responsibilities listed above are designed to indicate the general nature of the work performed within this job. They are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all job responsibilities required of employees assigned to this job. Employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Juris Doctor or equivalent degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.  Health law or specialty professional education, or equivalent experience (preferred). 
• Minimum of eight (8) years’ legal work experience either with a law firm or in-house legal department involving the performance of general, operational, or specialty legal services for hospitals, health systems, medical foundations or groups, clinics, providers, health care delivery organizations, or integrated delivery systems.

Required Licensure and Certifications

• Active State Bar licensure, registration as in-house counsel, or equivalent acceptable status for state of primary work location

Required Minimum Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Training

• Strong decision-making skills and judgment with the ability to handle difficult and complex issues
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong drafting skills suitable to more complex and sophisticated matters
• Understanding of and ability to adhere to confidentiality obligations 
• Effective and collegial interpersonal skills; ability to perform legal functions with integrity and consistent with CommonSpirit’s mission, vision, and values
• Ability to work independently, manage a diverse workflow, and timely and effectively complete assigned work
• Possess an understanding of when to inform or advance legal issues to or seek input from Legal Team leadership
• Ability to use in-house and outside legal resources to accomplish work while achieving cost effectiveness