Assistant County Attorney - Hospital District Division

Harris County • Houston, TX

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Harris County Attorney’s Office is hiring an attorney for its Hospital District Division, which provides legal advice and counsel to Harris County Hospital District d/b/a Harris Health. Harris Health is a public health system and hospital district under Texas law that operates two hospitals and an extensive outpatient network. It is a safety-net health care system and academic medical center committed to equitable patient care.

The attorney advises and represents Harris Health on litigation, clinical, regulatory, compliance, and operational matters. The role serves as after-hours on-call counsel for hospital, clinical, and operational matters at Harris Health facilities; represents the Client in state and federal court and in dealings with government entities; supports investigations and compliance matters; and advises on institutional policies and hospital committees. The role also investigates and responds to employment discrimination charges and related proceedings.

This is a full-time position working in the Client’s administrative offices in Bellaire, Texas. Typical hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional weekends, holidays, and extended hours as necessary. The work generally takes place in a professional office environment and involves predominantly sedentary work, standard office equipment, prolonged sitting or standing, occasional lifting or moving of up to 10 pounds, repetitive keyboarding, communication, analysis, organization, decision-making, and managing workplace stressors such as adversarial interactions.

The position’s base compensation depends on the candidate’s qualifications and the pay of others in the job function. Total compensation includes paid leave, health benefits, retirement plans, and eligibility to accrue compensatory time for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, consistent with County policies. Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards. Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references. The position is subject to a criminal history check; only relevant convictions will be considered, and they do not automatically disqualify a candidate.

Requirements

• Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from an American Bar Association-accredited college of law.
• Active membership in good standing of the Texas State Bar.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and drafting skills.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to communicate professionally and work collaboratively in a group.
• Proficiency with technology and legal tools, including Microsoft Office Suite, Westlaw, and PDF software.
• Knowledge of policy development and review for compliance with local, state, and federal law.
• Ability to perform thorough legal and factual analyses and exercise good judgment.
• Ability to organize and prioritize assignments to meet deadlines.
• Ability to comply with office policies and training requirements.
• Ability to work occasional extended hours to accommodate caseload demands.
• Applicants must document qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills on the job application; a resume may be attached as supporting documentation, but information stated only on a resume will not be used for consideration.

Nice To Haves

• At least three years of litigation practice experience; health care experience is preferred.
• Health law litigation experience.
• Hospital operational and regulatory experience, including physician matters.
• Health law-related background and certifications.

Responsibilities

• Serve as after-hours on-call counsel for hospital, clinical, and operational matters at all Harris Health facilities.
• Represent Harris Health in litigation, including health care liability and regulatory claims, constitutional claims, personal injury claims, breach of contract matters, and declaratory judgment actions in state and federal court.
• Advise Harris Health on clinical, regulatory, and operational issues in health care delivery, including regulatory and accrediting-body compliance, information privacy, medical and peer-review committees, patient safety and quality, patient care, informed consent, advance directives, end-of-life care, EMTALA, HIPAA, scope of practice, medical staff bylaws, and credentialing.
• Assist with internal health care compliance and regulatory matters and investigations.
• Represent Harris Health in interactions with state and federal government entities and assist with responses to governmental inquiries and investigations.
• Advise on the development and implementation of institutional clinical and operational policies in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
• Serve as legal representative for Harris Health hospital committees, operational committees, and work groups, including Patient Safety and Quality, Medical Committees, Medical Staff Bylaws, and Hospital Workplace Safety.
• Review, investigate, and respond to EEOC and Texas Workforce Commission charges of discrimination, including drafting Client position statements and advising or representing Harris Health in resulting investigations, mediations, or document requests.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Paid leave programs
• Health benefits
• Retirement plans
• Eligibility to accrue compensatory time off for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, consistent with Harris County policies and procedures

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree