The Corporate Counsel works independently and with the Office of Legal Affairs in the evaluation and management of a variety of legal, regulatory, compliance, and employment issues and other concerns in a healthcare setting, to decrease Northwest Permanente's (NWP) exposure to litigation, corrective actions, regulatory enforcement or risks to the corporation, clinicians and their practices within and external to the Kaiser Permanente Northwest program. Provides transactional legal support, advice and representation of NWP regarding legal and business matters.

Join our medical group

Northwest Permanente is a self-governed (physician-led), multi-specialty group of 1,500 physicians, surgeons, and clinicians, caring for 630,000 members in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Kaiser Permanente is one of the nation's pre-eminent health care systems, a benchmark for comprehensive, integrated, value-based, and high-quality care.

Major Responsibilities / Essential Functions

• Provide general legal, litigation, compliance, and regulatory information, analysis and counsel to NWP. Evaluate and manage a variety of legal, regulatory and compliance issues, to decrease NWP exposure to litigation, corrective actions, regulatory enforcement or risks to the corporation, clinicians and their practices within and external to the KPNW program.
• Oversee outside counsel engaged on a variety of matters related to legal, litigation, compliance and issue analysis.
• Provide day-to-day legal advice to operations and physician leaders on a wide range of healthcare issues, including Medicare, Medicaid, financial and reimbursement issues, credentialing, licensing, scope of practice, medical-legal issues, etc
  • Advise and counsel leadership, clinicians and staff regarding laws and rules affecting group practices, individual clinicians and medical care generally in Oregon and Washington States and under federal schemes.
  • Advise and counsel NWP employees on corporate matters, including but not limited to analyzing legal and corporate governance issues for the Board of Directors, Board subcommittees, Board-engaged consultants, auditors, outside counsel and experts, Corporate officers and others serving the Boards.
• Develop and participate in training, advisories, documentation, communications and other means of educating personnel on legal, litigation, regulatory and compliance matters.
• Assist in contract development and perform legal review of contractual matters, including transactional terms, documents, negotiation, resolution of related disputes and administration of terms.
• Evaluate and assess pending state or federal legislation that may impact NWP. Identify issues appropriate for policy advocacy.
• Advise NWP leadership on licensing agreements and other business legal issues related to technology acquisition and implementation.
• Support efforts in development and implementation of compliance initiatives for the organization and its clinicians, including those related to CMS, OIG, EMTALA, ADA, DEA, OHA, WHCA and TJC.

Minimum Education

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, health care administration or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Juris Doctorate degree

Minimum Work Experience

• Five (5) years' legal experience in general legal, litigation, compliance, regulatory or related functions

Competency Requirements

• Confidence and willingness to take initiative and to be proactive.
• Ability to develop and maintain a reputation of trust and credibility.
• Excellent decision-making skills, including demonstrated ability to examine options and implications before deciding on a course of action or recommendation and to consistently exercise sound judgment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to assimilate and apply complex and diverse state/federal health care (including clinical practice) laws and regulations.
• Ability to work in a professional manner with all levels of management and employees, including NWP and Health Plan/Hospital managers and non-managers and a diverse group of staff, physicians, and labor partners regarding confidential and complex issues.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate in emotional situations, defuse anger and resolve conflicts by utilizing a variety of mediation, conflict resolution and negotiation methods.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, fairness, and reliability in conducting investigations and in other aspects of a highly sensitive work environment.
• Excellent time management/prioritization skills; demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks, with shifting priorities, successfully meeting deadlines.
• Ability to use personal computer, devices, or other resources, including EPIC/HealthConnect.

Required Licensure, Certification, Registration (LCR)

• Eligible for licensure as attorney in Oregon and/or Washington

Preferred Education

• Advanced education, certification, training or degree related to Compliance, Privacy and Security, Risk Management, Contract Management, Ethics, and/or Healthcare

Preferred Work Experience and Qualifications

• Prior experience in fast-paced, high-pressure, and diversified health care environment.
• Experience and understanding of Kaiser Permanente health care operations.
• Experience in compliance, contracts, healthcare administration, legal or dispute resolution, and/or negotiating process/policy change with internal and external customers, physicians and senior level management.
• Proven leadership skills in process improvement, supervision of direct reports and/or project management.

Equal opportunity employer

At Northwest Permanente, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Northwest Permanente believes that equity, inclusion, and diversity among our employees are critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.