Job purpose

Meridian Behavioral Health's Legal Counsel provides first level legal support for compliance, HR complaints and general liability issues for the organization; helping to guide MBH executive's and leaders in responding to situations and inquiries. Legal Counsel coordinates with outside counsel(s) and manages legal engagements to balance outcome and cost. The role is responsible for guiding policy and procedure development and organizational training to ensure that leaders and staff have adequate guidelines and processes to minimize unnecessary company risk.

Duties and responsibilities

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Provides legal advice and counseling on a broad range of legal issues that arise in a company that provides mental health and substance use disorder care, with a goal of enabling the company's objectives while managing legal and compliance risk
• Drafts, negotiates, and interprets various types of commercial contracts, including sales, supply, and vendor agreements. Manages the legal contract review and approval process
• Advises on potential complex business transactions, such as expansion of services and changes in licensure
• Collaborates with HR on employment law issues and handles employment litigation matters and claims. Works with HR to enhance HR practices to minimize employment law risk while optimizing safe high-quality care at our sites
• Manages legal disputes and litigation matters and implements liability avoidance initiatives
• Ensures the drafting, implementation, and management of legal and compliance policies, processes and tools.
• Trains and educates various groups of staff on legal and compliance issues
• Develops and maintains legal expertise in various areas, including but not limited to State and Federal Compliance healthcare and employment law
• Drives implementation of continuous improvements within Legal & Compliance functions
• Supports the CEO and Executive Team in conducting legal research, on a broad range of legal issues related to all aspects of the business

Credentials Required to Perform Essential Job Functions:

Service Level

• High integrity and ethical standards
• Highly responsive and service oriented
• Ability to understand and analyze complex factual and legal issues
• Strong attention to detail combined with the ability to see the big picture
• Thrives in a fast-paced, demanding, dynamic environment
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to provide effective adult education and training
• Ability to prioritize with a risk-based approach and to balance numerous issues at once
• Self-motivate, with an ability to work under own initiative, often under time critical conditions
• Can-do, problem solving attitude as a business partner to the Executive team
• Strong quality of intellectual curiosity

Additional Requirements (must be obtained or completed within a period of time) :

• Strong understanding of current trends in health care regulations and compliance. Strong knowledge base in integrated medical/behavioral health models, advantages, challenges, and opportunities

Physical Requirements

• Hearing Ability to hear staff, incoming calls, Teams/virtual meetings
• Vision Ability to see computer screen, white board and related office visuals
• Speaking Ability to verbally speak to colleagues, vendor partners, related professionals
• Sitting Varies, approximately 5-6 hours per day.
• Standing Varies, approximately 1-2 hours per day.
• Travel < 10% of the time, as needed to meet with vendors, attend conferences, etc.