Legal Operations Corporate Counsel

Job Description

About Company:

CommonSpirit Health is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit Catholic healthcare organizations, dedicated to building a healthier future for all through integrated health services. They deliver more than 20 million patient encounters annually through a network of clinics, care sites, and hospital-based locations across 24 states. CommonSpirit is committed to charity care, community benefits, and creating a more just, equitable, and innovative healthcare delivery system.

Job Description:

The Legal Operations Corporate Counsel provides direct legal services primarily to one or more assigned CommonSpirit Operating Regions, focusing on the South Region, including facilities in Texas with primary responsibility for the Texas markets. The role involves independent work and collaboration with senior Legal Team attorneys, in alignment with CommonSpirit’s mission, vision, and values.

Responsibilities:

• Provide direct and consistent legal services for assigned CommonSpirit Operating Region, including preparation, review, and revision of complex non-physician agreements and hospital-based physician agreements (using templates as appropriate).
• Perform legal research and provide legal counsel and guidance related 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 subject to state and federal laws.
• Assist senior Legal Team attorneys in legal service delivery, preparing legal analyses, developing preliminary legal documents, and supporting legal operations projects.
• Provide sound legal advice to Operating Region staff, management, boards, and committees, while staying knowledgeable about relevant health care laws.
• Actively engage and coordinate with other Legal Team members for effective delivery of health care legal operations services, and participate in Legal Team initiatives.
• Supervise, direct, manage, and collaborate with paralegals, executive assistants, and other Legal Team support staff, as applicable.
• Manage and evaluate outside counsel providing 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 for designated facilities or entities within the assigned Operating Region.
• Assist with assigned Operating Region litigation, administrative proceedings, and other regulatory (including licensure and certification) proceedings or matters.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent degree from an American Bar Association-accredited law school. Health law or specialty professional education, or equivalent experience is preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ legal work experience with a law firm or in-house legal department, performing general, operational, or specialty legal services for hospitals, health systems, medical foundations or groups, clinics, providers, health care delivery organizations, or integrated delivery systems (preferred).
• Active State Bar licensure, registration as in-house counsel, or equivalent acceptable status for the state of primary work location.
• Strong decision-making skills and judgment.
• 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 supervisor.
• Ability to use in-house and outside legal resources to accomplish work while achieving cost effectiveness.

Important Requirement:

• Must be located in TX within reasonable driving distance of Houston, TX.