General Counsel

About Piedmont Health Services

Piedmont Health Services, Inc. (PHS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in North Carolina. Dedicated to delivering top-tier, accessible, and inclusive primary healthcare, PHS has proudly served for 54 years and remains the largest community health center in central NC. Operating 10 Community Health Centers, two PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) SeniorCare facilities, and 2 Mobile Health Units, PHS extends its services to residents across five counties, including Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Orange, and Lee.

What's an FQHC?

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are community-based healthcare providers that receive funds from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program to provide primary care services in under-served areas.

Job Title – General Counsel

Department - Admin Exempt

Reports to – Chief Executive Officer

Benefits -

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance (Short & Long Term Disability)
• 403(b) Plan
• Paid Holidays
• CME (Continuing Medical Education)
  
  

About Position: The General Counsel serves as the primary legal advisor for Piedmont Health Services (PHS). The incumbent will be a subject matter expert and have technical knowledge and legal expertise to cover a variety of legal matters. This position serves on the executive team and provides educated legal advice on legal matters to ensure we remain compliant with laws and regulations. Responsibilities include managing and mitigating legal risks by designing and implementing company policies and procedures on healthcare specific issues, corporate governance or regulatory affairs; providing day-to-day legal guidance across the organization; communicating with third-party bodies such as auditors; preparing/reviewing/negotiating company contracts, requests for proposals and other legal documents; promoting risk management best practices; designing and delivering legal training to the organization; and remaining compliant with changes to legislation in relation to federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations that affect our organizational operations. The General Counsel is responsible for litigation case management, drafting complaints, handling discovery, taking and defending dispositions, motion practice and conducting trials. This position drafts legal documents including contracts and corporate formation/governance documents and filings, confidentiality/non-disclosure agreements, collateral documents, and correspondence. Serves as counsel in the areas of contract, civil, tort, labor and administrative law. Prepares legal opinions. Partners with colleagues to identify business and legal risks to create proactive strategies for risk avoidance and mitigation for employment matters. Develops, implements, and reviews policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws. Updates policies and employee handbooks to ensure compliance. Advises on complex/sensitive employee relations, mergers and acquisitions (post-acquisition integration efforts), and internal investigations related to employee complaints. This role requires a deep understanding of PHS' operations and healthcare regulations. Other duties, as assigned.

• Work Location: Admin Coporate
• Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Travel: As needed
  
  

Duties/ Responsibilities –

• Provides expert and strategic legal advice and support to the organization and leadership on legal and related business matters (e.g., data privacy, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, non-disclosure agreements).
• Performs legal research on complex issues, provides analysis and advises leadership on findings.
• Provides broad legal knowledge on employment law (corporate law, litigations, labor law, etc.). Advises leadership on employment law matters and workplace policies to include wrongful discharge, workers' compensation, safety violations, discrimination, family and medical leave, etc.
• Manages litigation and pre-litigation matters, including but not limited to settlement and dispute resolution negotiations, employment and indemnification issues.
• Analyzes litigation trends, case development and applicable legislative and regulatory developments.
• Analyzes, reviews, and modifies governance policies and procedures as assigned to ensure compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and Local statutes, regulations, and case law precedents.
• Proactively identifies and anticipates legal risks in the organization and proposes solutions to mitigate current and future risks.
• Monitors organizational activity to ensure legal compliance policies/standards are followed; advises leadership on compliance issues and offers solutions.
• Reviews, analyzes, and drafts contract terms and conditions. Reviews final contracts for completeness and inclusion of negotiated terms prior to execution. Prepares contract amendments for renewals. Ensures contractual terms comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Advises leadership on contract issues/change management with an emphasis on risk management. Delivers contract/risk management training.
• Drafts revisions and modifications to standard agreements as well as internal standard agreements.
• Advises and oversees intellectual property protection and management.
• Models compliance and maintains confidentiality with the security of data.
• Develops and implements legal training programs for employees.
• Manages the defense/resolution strategy, and reviews and modifies outside counsel pleadings.
• Develops and revises pleadings, motions, memos, and discovery. Manages mediation and arbitration proceedings.
• Manages external counsel on compliance and regulatory matters. Obtains advice on specialized legal matters to resolve issues.
• Represents the organization on corporate initiatives and special projects to ensure we are following legal precedents.
• Collaborates effectively with leadership on legal and corporate affairs.
• Provides input and continuous feedback to improve process efficiencies. Identifies opportunities to increase operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Manages external parties (regulators, external counsel, politicians, clients) on legal matters.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications –

Education: Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school. Active license to practice in North Carolina

Required

7+ years of professional practice in business law or corporate law, including physician contracting. Previous in-house experience in the healthcare industry is highly desirable; 3+ years of corporate, regulatory or transactional experience representing healthcare organizations; 3+ years of direct civil and contract litigation experience; Experience in highly-regulated industries.

Preferred

Excellent analytical, negotiation, and persuasive communication skills; Able to write contracts and articulate position for legal scrutiny; Proficient in legal research to check on legal precedents; Demonstrated knowledge of, and ability to navigate, complex legal and regulatory compliance issues; Talent for cultivating strong working relationships with internal/external partners and within the legal department; High uncompromising ethical standards with a positive attitude and high degree of integrity, and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality and professionalism; Able to anticipate legal issues and risks; Excellent presentation, time management, operations management, financial management, third-party management, regulatory compliance skills; Process-oriented mindset with proven ability to meet deadlines and stay organized; Detail-oriented; Able to adapt and act quickly on urgent matters; Proficient in MS Office applications.

Immunizations

Current/valid License:

Pay Range - $126,843.00 - $147,046.00

EEO Statement

Piedmont Health Services, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

DEI Statement

Piedmont Health Services, Inc. (PHS) endeavors to maintain an inclusive workplace, one that is reflective of the patient population that we serve and the individuals whom we employ. We strive to incorporate inclusiveness throughout our work culture, including the way that we recruit, support, and retain employees. We believe that having employees from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences is an asset. It helps us to view the world through different lenses embodying the perspectives, opinions, approaches, and values that our employees bring to work daily. In fact, inclusion is woven into the very fabric of our work life, which allows our employees to perform at their highest possible potential.