Description:
Position Summary:Reporting to the Managing Counsel, Health Affairs, Privacy & Data Protection Law, the Principal Counsel - Health Regulatory provides primary legal support to the University's medical centers and health sciences schools on complex and high impact healthcare regulatory analysis. Work includes advising and counseling on health care regulatory and policy issues including health care reimbursement, operations, privacy, hospital licensing or accreditation, medical staff, peer review, tax exemption, federally qualified health centers, clinical laboratories, pharmacies, controlled substances, Medicare/Medicaid enrollment, sexual harassment/sexual violence in academic medical centers, graduate medical education, religious liberty/establishment issues, managed care and Veteran's Affairs facility affiliations. The position also advises A Public University in Oakland, CA, Faculty Senate, and campus stakeholders on a broad range of healthcare legal issues. The Principal Counsel - Health Regulatory should be a strategic thinker, an approachable adviser, and a strong relationship builder who thrives in a challenging environment and is clearly aligned with the University's and UC Legal's values. All team members are expected to actively participate in initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and/or inclusion, whether at UC or in the community.
By practicing UC Legal's established Values for Principles of Community, all team members are expected to promote and maintain a workforce that is collaborative, supportive, respectful of differences, and committed to fairness and diversity in all interactions, both within and outside the team.
Responsibilities:
80% Core Legal and Client Service
- Supports the UC Legal Health Affairs, Privacy & Data Protection Law Group's coordination efforts to facilitate more efficient, effective, and consistent delivery of health law services system-wide.
- Provides substantial expertise within the University in the Health Law field, particularly in health care regulatory and policy issues including but not limited to health care reimbursement, operations, privacy, hospital licensing or accreditation, medical staff, peer review, tax exemption, federally qualified health centers, clinical laboratories, pharmacies, controlled substances, Medicare/Medicaid enrollment, sexual harassment/sexual violence in academic medical centers, graduate medical education, religious liberty/establishment issues, managed care and Veteran's Affairs facility affiliations.
- Under general direction handles independently a full range of legal matters and projects, to include those of high complexity and of substantial importance and impact. Regularly counsels and advises senior management in the UC health enterprise, often on issues that can have significance across the system.
- Provides high-level strategic advice to University business units, including practical advice and alternative solutions to business concerns.
- Provides actionable and practical advice based on sophisticated interpretation of facts and law in areas of ambiguity.
- Identifies and frames systemic legal issues, and formulates and proposes strategic approaches to address them which can have broad impact across the UC system.
- Participates on external committees to provide input on issues that affect state and/or federal policy.
- Keeps informed on changing legislation and case law developments affecting overall operations of the University as they relate to health care regulatory matters.
- Provides training as well as client advisories and tools related to such developments.
- Directly negotiates matters on behalf of The Regents.
- Acts as a liaison with outside counsel.
- May provide strategic support and expertise on litigation matters in areas of expertise.
- Recognizes strategic needs of organization and proactively builds relationships with appropriate stakeholders to ensure successful outcomes.
- Establishes effective relationships with key internal and external constituencies.
- Mentors law clerks, fellows, and other learners.
- Functions as lead and technical resource and provides functional advice, training and/or guidance to clients or to less-experienced attorneys.
- Develops objectives and ensures service according to established priorities.
- Ensures accurate record keeping in compliance with UC Legal data quality protocols.
5% Supports OGC's commitment to diversity by mentoring law clerks, fellows, and other learners, participating in other career pathway or mentoring programs, and other diversity initiatives in outreach, recruitment and retention.
Experience:
Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience advising clients on high-level and complex health care regulatory matters required.
Required Qualifications:
- Demonstrated specialized and in-depth experience in at least one of the following health care regulatory areas: reimbursement, operations, and/or medical staff.
- Experience gained in a law firm, or in-house counsel for an academic institution, corporation or other entity.
- Significant experience advising executives on sophisticated and often highly complex health care regulatory matters with minimal preparation time.
- Requires health law expertise including a sufficient understanding of applicable laws, industry practices, and enforcement trends to identify, assess, mitigate and resolve legal risks associated with Medical Center and Medical School activities, or a willingness to develop such expertise.
- In depth abilities in collaboration, facilitation, and strategic and creative thinking.
- In-depth understanding of highly complex legal issues and ability to foresee implications of different approaches or actions, even when ambiguous or hidden.
- Advanced interpersonal communication skills, including proven ability to actively listen, negotiate, persuade and educate.
- Skills to gain trust and build credibility with a broad group of colleagues and clients, to include senior leaders.
- Advanced written communication skills and ability to create and deliver effective materials and/or presentations appropriate to a particular audience.
- Advanced research skills; ability to readily identify critical legislative changes in area of specialty.
- In depth decision making ability, even when unpopular, earning credibility and support from colleagues.
- Advanced skills in project management, and facilitating policy review and changes.
- Relied on to represent institutional concerns persuasively to internal and external parties.
- Developing ability to mentor and coach all levels of staff; provide for succession planning in area of specialty.
- Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion and tact when handling sensitive or potentially sensitive issues.
- Demonstrated commitment to the highest ethical standards.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Expertise in complex and high impact health care regulatory matters for hospitals and health sciences school clients. Expertise in such matters for managed care clients, physician group clients or device or drug manufacturer clients is also a positive consideration.
- Prior experience at government agency responsible for regulating hospitals and/or other providers.
Education:
Advanced degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training required
Licenses and Certifications:
Required Qualifications:
Must be a member in good standing of the California Bar. (Out-of-state hire would be afforded time to pass the Bar within a reasonable period.)
Travel Requirements:
5% Occasional travel for business meetings, the vast majority of which occur in the state of California.
Special Conditions
The person hired will be required to reside within California and report to work on-site at A Public University in Oakland, CA located in Oakland, CA on a regular basis. Current policy requires that a new employee work on-site at least two days a week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (“anchor days”). In exceptional circumstances, approved by the General Counsel, candidates residing in or willing to relocate to California may be considered for a fully remote work arrangement.
