Director Legal - Hospital & Health System
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Summary
Provides legal counsel to operational and clinical leadership across the Jefferson Health system. Serves as a trusted legal adviser and business partner on matters affecting the delivery of healthcare services, hospital operations, physician practice, patient care, regulatory compliance, and organizational risk.
Job description
Summary
Provides legal counsel to operational and clinical leadership across the Jefferson Health system. Serves as a trusted legal adviser and business partner on matters affecting the delivery of healthcare services, hospital operations, physician practice, patient care, regulatory compliance, and organizational risk.
The attorney works closely with clinical, operational, compliance, risk management, audit, medical staff, and other business partners to translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into practical, solution-oriented guidance that supports safe, effective, and efficient healthcare operations.
Job Duties
- Provide legal advice and guidance to hospitals, healthcare providers, medical groups, affiliated entities, and administrative leaders on matters affecting healthcare delivery and day-to-day operations.
- Analyze and advise on federal and state healthcare laws, regulations, accreditation requirements, and industry standards applicable to hospitals, physician practices, ambulatory locations, and other licensed healthcare facilities. Translate legal requirements into practical operational guidance, policies, workflows, and risk-mitigation strategies.
- Draft, review, and negotiate agreements supporting hospital and healthcare operations, including agreements with healthcare providers, medical groups, affiliated entities, vendors, service providers, and other third parties.
- Review healthcare transactions and contractual arrangements for compliance with applicable healthcare laws and organizational standards, including fraud and abuse, physician self-referral, privacy, licensure, and related regulatory requirements.
- Collaborate with Compliance, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Regulatory, and other Legal Department colleagues to identify and address legal and regulatory issues in a complex healthcare environment.
- Assist with regulatory reviews, government inquiries, surveys, investigations, and other matters involving healthcare regulators and accrediting organizations.
- Support legal needs of Jefferson's employed physician group, including practice operations, physician contracting, clinical service expansion, professional services arrangements, and operational integration initiatives.
- Provide legal counsel to Medical Staff leadership and hospital administration regarding Medical Staff bylaws, credentialing, privileging, peer review, and governance matters.
- Advise Medical Staff Services and physician leadership on practitioner appointment, reappointment, corrective action, fair hearing, and accreditation and regulatory compliance matters.
- Contribute to Legal Department initiatives and perform other responsibilities necessary to support the health system's hospitals, ambulatory operations, clinical services, and affiliated entities.
- Identify legal risks and escalate issues appropriately.
- Manage multiple matters simultaneously while maintaining quality and responsiveness.
Minimum Qualifications
- Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited law school.
- 5 years of relevant legal experience.
- Strong drafting, negotiation, and legal analysis skills.
- Experience providing practical, solution oriented legal advice.
- Comfort operating in a fast paced, deadline driven environment.
- Strong communication skills and responsiveness to tasks and shifting priorities.
- Ability to collaborate and work cohesively as part of a team.
- ATTY - Licensed Attorney - State of Pennsylvania Upon Hire
Requirements
- Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited law school
- 5 years of relevant legal experience
- Strong drafting, negotiation, and legal analysis skills
- Experience providing practical, solution oriented legal advice
- Comfort operating in a fast paced, deadline driven environment
- Strong communication skills and responsiveness to tasks and shifting priorities
- Ability to collaborate and work cohesively as part of a team
- Licensed Attorney - State of Pennsylvania Upon Hire
Company overview
Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) is a major healthcare provider and hospital network based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, serving the Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania regions. Founded in 1899, LVHN operates as a comprehensive healthcare system with 13 hospital campuses, 28 health centers, numerous primary and specialty care physician practices, and multiple urgent care locations. The network's flagship facility, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, is Pennsylvania's third-largest hospital and features the state's first Level One Trauma Center. LVHN provides a wide range of medical services including specialized institutes for cancer care, heart and vascular treatment, surgical excellence, orthopedics, and neuroscience. The network operates the third-largest heart surgery program in Pennsylvania, performing over 1,200 open-heart procedures annually, and maintains one of the state's largest cancer centers treating over 2,400 new patients each year. In August 2024, LVHN completed a merger with Jefferson Health, becoming part of a larger healthcare system with 32 hospitals and over 700 locations across Pennsylvania. Prior to the merger, LVHN was the largest employer in the Lehigh Valley metropolitan region, with approximately 20,000 employees dedicated to providing comprehensive healthcare services to the community.