Chief Legal Officer

Nashville General Hospital•Nashville, TN

About The Position

Primary Duties and Responsibilities Legal Strategy & Corporate Governance: • Develop and implement legal strategies that align with the organization's mission and growth objectives. • Serve as a key advisor to the Board of Directors on corporate governance matters. • Provide legal interpretation and guidance to leadership, the Board, and the Metro Department of Law on matters involving legal interpretation and decisions related to Hospital activities, policy questions, and operational problems. • Advise on legal issues related to business strategy, governance policies, conflict of interest policies, corporate structure, and other issues as needed. • Serve on Hospital committees to provide recommendations about applicable legal matters. • Develop and manage the annual budget for the legal department, including forecasting and controlling outside counsel spend. Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: • Ensure the organization's compliance with all healthcare regulations, including HIPAA, the Anti- Kickback Statute, Stark Law, Medicare, Medicaid, and other government programs. • Identify and mitigate legal risks associated with business operations and advise leadership on mitigation strategies. • Recommend operational changes necessitated by legislative mandates and new regulatory changes. • Advise on data privacy and cybersecurity laws and best practices, working closely with the IT and Compliance departments to mitigate risks related to data breaches and protect sensitive information. • Guide and collaborate with compliance staff on investigations and the resolution of compliance concerns. • Respond to inquiries from internal departments and external parties, including auditors and regulatory agencies. Government & Community Relations: • Represent the hospital at Metro Council meetings and maintain relationships with Metro government leaders and the mayor’s office. • Develop and maintain relationships with State Legislators and the Governor’s office. • Serve as liaison to related trade association government affairs programs, including THA, HAT, TnPATH, THCA, and similar organizations. • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the Hospital Authority Board, NGH staff, Meharry Medical College leadership, and other strategic partners. Contract & Transactional Management: • Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including service agreements, physician agreements, licenses, leases, and joint venture agreements. • Provide legal oversight for business negotiations and transactions. • Negotiate and draft legal documents, including offering legal opinions related to the Hospital's business and healthcare transactions. • Oversee all legal matters related to capital transactions, such as leases, purchases, sales, and construction contracts. • Develop and maintain template documents to assist Hospital leadership in preparing documents related to business, strategy, and procurement. Litigation & Operations: • Manage all litigation and disputes, including investigation, discovery, and outside counsel coordination. • Provide legal guidance on labor and employment matters, including employee relations and regulatory compliance. • Advise on patient care legal issues, such as informed consent and patient rights. • Support medical staff governance, including bylaws, peer review, and corrective action processes. • Lead, mentor, and develop members of the legal team.

Requirements

Bachelors Political Science, History, English, Philosophy, Economics, Public Health, or Health Administration- Required
Graduate Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school- Required
Bar Membership / Licensure: Active license to practice law in the State of Tennessee.
Requires a minimum of 12-15 years of progressive legal experience, with significant expertise in healthcare law.
In-house legal experience within a healthcare organization is required.
Candidates must have demonstrated experience with government contracts, government relations, and non-profit/safety-net hospital operations.
Integrity and Professionalism: A high degree of professional ethics, integrity, and the confidentiality necessary to be a trusted advisor to senior executives and the Board.
Executive Communication: Demonstrated ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly and concisely to diverse audiences, from physicians and staff to board members and government officials.
Strategic Thinking: Serves as a forward‑looking advisor, aligning legal strategy with business goals.
Business Acumen: Deep understanding of business operations, goals, and challenges within the healthcare industry.
Judgment: Exhibits exceptional and sound judgment in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.
Leadership and Teamwork: Strong leadership skills, the ability to build collaborative relationships, and effectively manage and motivate teams.

Nice To Haves

Recommended, but not required: Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC)®; Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC)®; Certified in Healthcare Research Compliance (CHRC)®
Experience in an academic medical center, public hospital, or non-profit healthcare system is highly valued.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement legal strategies that align with the organization's mission and growth objectives.
Serve as a key advisor to the Board of Directors on corporate governance matters.
Provide legal interpretation and guidance to leadership, the Board, and the Metro Department of Law on matters involving legal interpretation and decisions related to Hospital activities, policy questions, and operational problems.
Advise on legal issues related to business strategy, governance policies, conflict of interest policies, corporate structure, and other issues as needed.
Serve on Hospital committees to provide recommendations about applicable legal matters.
Develop and manage the annual budget for the legal department, including forecasting and controlling outside counsel spend.
Ensure the organization's compliance with all healthcare regulations, including HIPAA, the Anti- Kickback Statute, Stark Law, Medicare, Medicaid, and other government programs.
Identify and mitigate legal risks associated with business operations and advise leadership on mitigation strategies.
Recommend operational changes necessitated by legislative mandates and new regulatory changes.
Advise on data privacy and cybersecurity laws and best practices, working closely with the IT and Compliance departments to mitigate risks related to data breaches and protect sensitive information.
Guide and collaborate with compliance staff on investigations and the resolution of compliance concerns.
Respond to inquiries from internal departments and external parties, including auditors and regulatory agencies.
Represent the hospital at Metro Council meetings and maintain relationships with Metro government leaders and the mayor’s office.
Develop and maintain relationships with State Legislators and the Governor’s office.
Serve as liaison to related trade association government affairs programs, including THA, HAT, TnPATH, THCA, and similar organizations.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the Hospital Authority Board, NGH staff, Meharry Medical College leadership, and other strategic partners.
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including service agreements, physician agreements, licenses, leases, and joint venture agreements.
Provide legal oversight for business negotiations and transactions.
Negotiate and draft legal documents, including offering legal opinions related to the Hospital's business and healthcare transactions.
Oversee all legal matters related to capital transactions, such as leases, purchases, sales, and construction contracts.
Develop and maintain template documents to assist Hospital leadership in preparing documents related to business, strategy, and procurement.
Manage all litigation and disputes, including investigation, discovery, and outside counsel coordination.
Provide legal guidance on labor and employment matters, including employee relations and regulatory compliance.
Advise on patient care legal issues, such as informed consent and patient rights.
Support medical staff governance, including bylaws, peer review, and corrective action processes.
Lead, mentor, and develop members of the legal team.