Description:
We are seeking a Deputy General Counsel, Healthcare, who will serve as a partner to the General Counsel contributing to the vision and leadership of the University. Reporting to the General Counsel, this role will be a valued member of the leadership team and will work closely with the General Counsel to provide legal advice and counsel to the President, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Board of Trustees, and other members of the University community on all significant legal matters. The Deputy General Counsel, Healthcare, will collaborate with the General Counsel to set strategic goals, manage, and supervise the legal work within the Healthcare group and oversee relationships with outside counsel as appropriate.The Deputy General Counsel, Healthcare, will provide proactive legal advice to University staff and administration, with primary responsibility for legal issues related to the clinical activity conducted through the School of Medicine, medical student training and allied health programs in the School of Nursing and School of Public Health to navigate significant legal challenges. This role will lead a full range of experiences from routine to complex transactional projects. This individual will help strengthen University best practices by supporting the General Counsel in anticipating and responding to governance issues and monitoring the federal regulatory changes relevant to the academic medical center. The Deputy General Counsel, Healthcare, will also provide legal support to senior administrators and perform the duties of the General Counsel and when needed; representing the General Counsel at meetings, or other bodies, as assigned.
This role will supervise a legal team that includes three attorneys, as well as paralegals and administrative staff.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
- Serve as a strategic thought partner and advisor to the General Counsel on critical legal issues that affect the University and its various constituencies.
- Provide legal services in connection with transactions involving the School of Medicine including clinical services arrangements, academic affiliations with other health systems, acquisition of physician practices, physician employment agreements, and inter-entity agreements between JHU and entities within the Johns Hopkins Health System, among others.
- Advise the School of Medicine Vice Dean for Education, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, and Program Directors on issues involving interns, residents, and clinical fellows and post-doctoral fellows.
- Advise the School of Medicine Vice Dean for Faculty-on-faculty appointments, including issues related to clinical performance issues in close collaboration with JHHS counsel to the Medical Staff.
- Provide legal and regulatory advice related to School of Medicine ambulatory practices, including professional fee billing compliance, health care fraud and abuse, and physician practice standards, often in coordination with members of the Johns Hopkins Health System Legal Department.
- Work closely with his/her counterparts in the Johns Hopkins Health System Legal Department as well as faculty, staff, and leadership across the University.
- Advise the School of Medicine Vice Dean for Faculty-on-faculty appointments, including issues related to clinical performance issues in close collaboration with JHHS counsel to the Medical Staff.
- Provide legal advice on research misconduct proceedings and review of inquiry.
- Work with academic division leadership and faculty on the broad range of issues related to sponsored research, including advising the Institutional Review Board, Animal Care and Use Committee, conflict of interest, research integrity and the responsible conduct of research, the investigational drug service, the clinical trials billing office, and other regulatory requirements related to research.
- Support the research contracting offices in their negotiation of sponsored research and other sponsored project agreements and correspondence related to postdoctoral fellow issues.
- Provide legal advice on research misconduct proceedings and review of inquiry and investigation reports for legal sufficiency.
- Provide legal counsel and advice to university leadership on matters involving legal interpretation and decisions related to operations and policy questions.
- Provide day-to-day advice and counsel regarding management of new and existing business projects and operational challenges.
- Facilitate complex business transactions and strengthen best practices and good governance.
- Participate in the definition and development of institutional policies, strategies, and major initiatives.
- Provide strategic and ethical leadership and direction for all legal matters involving the University, including student, faculty, and staff affairs; regulatory and compliance issues; athletics; research and financial concerns; as well as all other legal matters that uniquely affect Johns Hopkins Medicine, the School of Medicine, and the University.
- Coordinate with regulatory agencies and advise the health system leadership in navigating a complex regulatory environment. Keep abreast of compliance/regulatory related changes and educate University and the health care constituents on such changes.
- Collaborate with multiple areas of the University and health system to address issues and concerns with legal implications raised by students, faculty, staff, and the community.
- Maintain professional growth and development through seminars, professional affiliations, and other means to keep abreast of developments in legal matters affecting the University's and health system's activities and operations.
- Assist in leading, managing, and overseeing all attorneys and professionals within the General Counsel's Healthcare group with an eye towards maintaining and enhancing the manner in which legal services are provided to ensure high caliber work and alignment with the President's vision for the University and health system.
- Analyze current inventory of legal needs across the University and health system, external legal resources currently in use and constituents currently engaging with legal counsel. Determine when external resources will be necessary and retain resources for legal assistance. Supervise and manage work performed by outside legal counsel.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA accredited nationally recognized law school with superior academic credentials and have active membership in good standing in at least one state bar association.
- Satisfaction of all applicable requirements for attorneys practicing in the State of Maryland. If not licensed in Maryland, must be eligible for admission within twelve (12) months.
Required Experience:
- 10+ years relevant legal experience which should include several years counseling on issues relating to a school of medicine and or an affiliated academic medical center.
- Experience working in: (i) a large university's legal department focusing on healthcare; (ii) a law firm working for large, complex academic clients; (iii) an academic medical center or relevant nonprofit institution; or (iv) a relevant federal government department or agency.
- Experience or significant exposure to legal issues relating to the management of a complex academic medical center or hospital systems is preferred.
- Experience negotiating complex agreements.
- Experience managing a legal team is strongly preferred.
- Experience counseling all layers of university leadership on complex legal issues; ability to address compliance with the full range of applicable laws, regulations, rules, and policies that affect JHU's activities in the matters that relate to healthcare.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Five years of experience providing legal counsel within higher education.
- Experience serving in a prominent leadership role and working effectively with various constituencies in an extraordinarily complex, matrixed environment is a clear advantage.
- Strong governance experience.
- Experience counseling all layers of university leadership on complex legal issues; ability to address compliance with the full range of applicable laws, regulations, rules, and policies that affect JHU's activities in the matters that relate to healthcare.
- Experience working in a highly regulated environment; broad and deep understanding of the overall regulatory environment that would be specifically applicable to the broad range of issues related to sponsored research at JHU.
- Exposure to sponsored research oversight including both human and animal subject research subjects and clinical trials is highly preferred.
Personal Traits and Attributes
- Significant legal experience advising smart and exacting clients.
- Superior legal negotiating, drafting, and presentation skills.
- Organized self-starter with strong work ethic and a 'can do' attitude; a quick study with ability to manage deadlines.
- Ability to work proactively collaboratively and cooperatively, and as a member of a team, while empowering internal clients and colleagues and emphasizing accountability.
- The stature, maturity, competence, and confidence to operate with credibility at the executive level and trustee level, as well as a professional history of maintaining objectivity while driving appropriate outcomes, managing multiple stakeholder agendas, and p