General Counsel - Artis Senior Living

Artis Senior Living is seeking a General Counsel (GC) to join our team. The GC holds a pivotal role in the company, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer/President and playing a key role in corporate affairs and compliance. We are seeking a dynamic individual with a passion for tackling challenges and solving complex legal problems. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, possesses exceptional communication and organizational skills, and has a keen eye for detail, coupled with a passion for senior living. In addition, the position requires expertise in senior living/healthcare law, employment law, real estate transactions and regulatory compliance within the senior living and healthcare sectors. Some travel will be required.

Primary Responsibilities:

Department Oversight and Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day legal matters of the company and provide legal counsel to the executive team relating to complex issues facing the company and the senior housing industry.
• Oversee the formation, governance and maintenance of the company's business entities; interface with the company’s registered agent.
• Provide support and guidance as needed on company initiatives (new technology implementation, internal policies, and data privacy and security efforts, etc.).
• Supervise, manage, and assist outside counsel with various transactions and financing for senior housing assets.
• Supervise, manage, and assist the communities, insurance adjusters and outside counsel with various litigation including the defense of claims involving worker’s compensation and employment practices liability including EEOC and state administrative charges, claims of discrimination, wage and hour litigation, labor grievances, and unfair labor practice charges.
• Organize, supervise, recruit, and train legal department team members to maximize their potential and align with department goals.
• Create and implement an onboarding plan for newly hired department associates.
• Conduct regular legal team meetings to communicate goals, progress, and updates and keep all team members informed.

Resident Wellbeing & Care (Cross Department Collaborations)

• Foster collaborative partnerships with the communities within the company and furnish expert legal guidance as the need arises.
• Organize and oversee the preparation of various licensure and certificate of need applications needed for new company locations. Assist the operations team in the licensing, delicensing, acquisition, and sale of assisted living communities.
• Provide legal counsel to the communities on a wide variety of legal matters with emphasis on labor and employment matters, including internal investigations, HR policies, hiring, accommodations, leave and employee discipline.
• Visit the communities and meet with the community leadership team to review legal compliance, risk management needs and concerns, and provide any on-site training needed.

Training & Development

• Establish clear performance expectations and regularly discuss progress to help team members understand their growth trajectory.
• Identify individual and team skill gaps through performance reviews, one-on-one discussions, and goal-setting sessions.
• Provide constructive feedback and coaching during and after tasks to reinforce learning, build skills, and identify areas for improvement.
• Offer guidance and hands-on training relevant to technical skills, tools, and processes essential for day-to-day tasks.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning by encouraging team members to pursue learning opportunities using the company learning management system.
• Recognize and reward accomplishments to boost motivation and reinforce the value of learning and improvement.
• Prepare and present relevant topics of interest at company conferences.

Budget & Financial Management

• Determine the budget for the legal department and monitor the administration of the current budget.
• Evaluate the legal risks to which the company may be exposed to allow these risks to be accurately reflected in the company's financial statements.
• When seeking outside counsel, emphasis should be placed on the following:
• Establishing case matter budgets with law firms prior to assigning litigation.
• Seeking discounts or alternative fees.
• Establishing billing guidelines and spending rules.
• Evaluations should be conducted annually to determine the effectiveness of outside counsel and the need for re-allocation of work to firms with lower rates.
• Utilize the appropriate tools to monitor progress and provide reports to the leadership team.

Contracts & Transactions

• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, and review of contracts, agreements, and other legal documents.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions, ensuring proper due diligence and integration.

Compliance, Safety, Ethics & Quality Assurance

• Oversee the response, appeal, and resolution of regulatory matters affecting company locations. Lead internal investigation efforts to collect facts and evidence, interview witnesses, and respond to various healthcare authorities. Identify legal risks and assist the operations team with mitigation efforts.
• Assist in the review of and/or developing, updating, and maintaining of company policies and procedures, handbooks, customer-facing resources, contract addenda and templates.

Education/Professional Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school. Active license to practice law in at least one state bar and, if not a Virginia Bar member, ability to obtain Virginia State Bar Corporate Counsel Certification or Registration upon employment.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience, including both law firm/professional practice in business law or corporate law. Previous in-house experience and senior living industry experience highly desired.
• Substantial litigation experience with a government agency, law firm, or company highly desired.
• Experience in highly-regulated industries, corporate governance, and management of multiple regulated affiliates; preferred industries are healthcare, insurance, or financial services.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• High ethical standards and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.
• Demonstrated knowledge of, and ability to navigate, complex legal and regulatory compliance issues.
• Track record of establishing strong working relationships with internal/external business clients and within the legal department. High, uncompromising ethical standards and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.