Description:
Position Summary:Vivage Beecan is seeking an experienced and strategic In-House Counsel to provide legal guidance and support across a portfolio of skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, and senior care operations. This role serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and facility operators, ensuring compliance with federal and state healthcare regulations while mitigating legal risk and supporting organizational growth.
The In-House Counsel will oversee a broad range of legal matters, including healthcare regulatory compliance, labor and employment issues, contract negotiations, litigation management, corporate governance, risk management, and operational support. The ideal candidate will possess a strong understanding of the long-term care industry and thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Legal & Regulatory Compliance
- Provide legal counsel regarding healthcare laws and regulations, including Medicare, Medicaid, HIPAA, CMS regulations, state licensing requirements, and long-term care compliance standards.
- Advise leadership and facility administrators on regulatory investigations, surveys, audits, and enforcement actions.
- Monitor legal and regulatory developments impacting healthcare operations and recommend proactive compliance measures.
- Support the organization's compliance and ethics programs to ensure adherence to applicable laws and regulations.
- Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a variety of agreements, including:
- Vendor and service agreements
- Managed care contracts
- Professional services agreements
- Real estate and lease agreements
- Business associate agreements
- Employment and consulting contracts
- Collaborate with business leaders to identify contractual risks and recommend appropriate solutions.
- Provide legal guidance regarding employment-related matters, including:
- Employee relations
- Workplace investigations
- Disciplinary actions
- Wage and hour compliance
- Leave administration
- ADA, FMLA, EEOC, and discrimination matters
- Partner with Human Resources to develop policies and procedures that reduce legal exposure and support employee engagement.
- Manage and coordinate litigation, disputes, claims, and administrative proceedings.
- Collaborate with outside counsel on medical liability, employment, contractual, and regulatory matters.
- Evaluate legal risks and develop effective mitigation strategies.
- Support incident response activities and assist with claims management and insurance matters.
- Provide counsel to executive leadership regarding strategic business initiatives, acquisitions, partnerships, and operational matters.
- Support corporate governance activities, including board and committee matters.
- Review organizational policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance and operational effectiveness.
- Participate in mergers, acquisitions, and other business transactions as needed.
- Advise on privacy and data security matters, including HIPAA compliance, breach response, and information governance practices.
- Collaborate with compliance and IT teams regarding cybersecurity and patient privacy concerns.
Qualifications:
Required:
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
- Active license to practice law and in good standing with a state bar association.
- Minimum of 5 years of legal experience, with significant experience in healthcare law, long-term care, or regulated healthcare environments.
- Strong knowledge of:
- Medicare and Medicaid regulations
- CMS requirements
- HIPAA
- Employment law
- Contract law
- Healthcare compliance
- Experience managing outside counsel and litigation matters.
- Excellent written, verbal, negotiation, and interpersonal communication skills.
Preferred:
- Experience supporting skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, home health agencies, or other post-acute healthcare providers.
- Prior in-house healthcare legal experience.
- Experience with healthcare transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance.
- Knowledge of multi-state healthcare operations.
Core Competencies:
- Strategic thinking and business acumen
- Sound judgment and ethical decision-making
- Executive presence and influence
- Strong risk assessment capabilities
- Ability to partner effectively with executive and operational leaders
- Exceptional communication and negotiation skills
- Effective project management and prioritization
