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Come join a team of experienced healthcare and higher education attorneys and staff to provide full-scope legal and strategic counsel for a large academic medical center in furtherance of its patient care, education and research missions. You will serve as an integral member of the in-house legal team, providing strategic legal analysis and counsel to minimize civil, criminal and regulatory risk while working closely with senior leadership, management, employees at all levels, The University of Texas System Office of General Counsel, Texas Attorney General and outside legal counsel.
This position reports to the Chief Legal Officer.
Position-Specific Duties: Health Affairs
This position will be responsible for identifying legal risk and providing strategic counsel, particularly with respect to healthcare operations and regulations, and proactively managing complex healthcare matters for a large academic medical center, including inpatient and ambulatory clinical practices and a robust research portfolio.
A successful candidate should have experience with medical negligence, healthcare accreditation bodies and licensing boards. A successful candidate will also have responsibility for legal, strategic and transactional counsel, regarding:
o Medical Negligence Claims;
- Clinical legal operations;
o Healthcare Accreditation;
o Medical and Dental Staff Matters;
o Data. Will work closely with, and can develop a high degree of understanding of healthcare and health-related research data, including technical and operational platforms and logistics;
o Shared responsibility for ambulatory clinical practice issues for physicians, advanced practice providers, dentists, and nurses including scope of practice, clinical operations, compliance, regulatory and billing practices;
o Clinical research, including technology commercialization; and
o And other duties as assigned
A successful candidate must desire to be engaged and collaborate with a small legal office as a crucial team member. They must also develop productive relationships with key constituencies including the School of Medicine, Nursing and Dentistry Leadership, Hospital Leadership, and various support departments, such as Compliance, Research, Clinical IMS Support, and others as applicable.
Active contribution and representation in various committees will be required and the candidate must be able to provide excellent, accurate, timely legal advice and counsel with little supervision and a high degree of independence, assuming strategic alignment with Institutional goals.
Responsibilities
1. Efficiently analyze, anticipate, and stay abreast of relevant law to effectively guide relevant enterprise risk management initiatives and to protect and promote the legal interests and objectives of the Client.
2. Review/Revise/Draft various communications (Internal and External) to reduce legal and regulatory risk to protect and promote the legal interests and objectives of the Institution.
3. Advocate on behalf of the Institution as necessary to legally defend or support its goals and objectives. Defend the Institution in all disputes to reduce legal exposure, limit civil and criminal penalties, reduce reputational risk. Counsel the Institution, all schools, departments and personnel as needed to reduce legal, regulatory and reputational exposure.
4. Support the strategic development of new innovations by providing collaborative engagement regarding legal, business and regulatory advice. Help guide legal and litigation strategy and defense of Institution as relevant.
5. Research legal precedents, case reports, and other legal documents to collect information for case preparation; prepare initial drafts of correspondence, motions, pleadings, orders, affidavits and other legal documents; review court reports and forms. Provide efficient transactional support for all Institutional departments.
6. Provide advice regarding Institutional regulations in the form of Regents’ Rules and Operating Policies and Procedures, and UTHSA HOP.
7. Demonstrate proficiency in all of the required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities articulated for in-house legal counsel.
8. Perform all other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Experience and practice in similar fields with required specialty for position.
- Demonstrated expertise in relevant matters with successful outcomes in mitigating risk and establishing executable agreements and contracts.
- Superior ability to analyze and apply relevant law to real-world situations.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with stakeholders to identify, analyze, evaluate, educate, and advise regarding assigned areas of legal responsibility.
- Ability to uphold the highest standards of ethics and honesty.
- Ability to confront conflicts directly and respectfully.
- Ability to engage collaboratively as a Team and with other stakeholders.
- Ability to quickly triage, focusing on the matters that add the most value and risk mitigation.
- Superior interpersonal and communication skills; excellent oral and written communication skills; and acute attention to detail.
- Easy to approach; builds trust and rapport.
- Ability to manage projects in the Legal Department.
- Ability to work with a high degree of independence.
EDUCATION:
- Juris Doctorate (J.D) degree from an accredited law school is required.
Experience:
- Must have experience working with healthcare providers, scientists and/or principle investigators.
Preferred:
- Experience with accreditation bodies, and licensing boards.
LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION:
- Texas State licensure required within 6 months of hire
