Attorney IV - Health and Hospitals - County Counsel

Description

Under direction, performs professional legal work in the Office of the County Counsel to represent and advise the Board of Supervisors, County officers and departments and certain other public entities on legal issues; represents County agencies in a variety of civil matters; and assists in drafting and/or negotiating contracts, leases, ordinances, resolutions and other legal documents.

The Office of the County Counsel for the County of Santa Clara is one of the premier public law offices in the country and offers an interesting, varied, fast-paced practice with competitive salary and benefits.

The Office of the County Counsel is seeking an attorney for assignment on the Health and Hospitals Team. The Health and Hospitals Team provides in-house legal advice to the County’s health care delivery system. This team counsels Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), a 731-bed acute care hospital and Level 1 trauma center and 50-bed psychiatric hospital; O’Connor Hospital, a 358-bed acute care hospital; Saint Louise Regional Hospital, a 95-bed acute care hospital; and a network of health centers and urgent care clinics across Santa Clara County. Attorneys also serve as legal counsel to the Behavioral Health Services Department; the Public Health Department; the Custody Health Services Department; the Emergency Medical Services Agency; and Valley Health Plan, the County’s Knox Keene-licensed, publicly-sponsored health plan.

The attorneys on this team provide advice on a wide array of cutting-edge issues to healthcare providers and administrators on matters of importance in the healthcare industry, including regulatory compliance, contracting, quality improvement and risk management, certification and licensing, pharmacy services, policies and procedures, health information privacy and data security, medical ethics, health care finance, and health care IT. A successful candidate must have experience in advising an entity, preferably in the healthcare field (e.g., hospital operations, health system, health plan, etc.), relating to transactional, regulatory, and operational issues.

You must attach a resume and writing sample to your job application in order to submit your application for this recruitment. The writing sample must include your name as the author.

Typical Tasks

• Represents and advises one or more County department(s), board(s), committee(s), or County officer(s) and employees on legal issues regarding their powers, functions, jurisdiction, procedures, obligations and operations;
  
• Performs legal research on a variety of legal issues pertaining to the interests of the County;
  
• Studies, interprets, and applies laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities in preparing contracts, pleadings, ordinances, resolutions, memoranda and opinions;
  
• Attends meetings of boards, commissions or other committees to give legal advice;
  
• Litigates in both Federal and State Courts;
  
• Assists departments and other contacts in preparing documents, such as labor contracts and agreements;
  
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
  
• Performs other related duties as required.

Employment Standards

Knowledge and abilities consistent with the highest standard of the legal profession and with the level of difficulty and expertise required for the intended appointment.

Membership in the California State Bar is required prior to appointment. Active membership in good standing of the California State Bar must be maintained throughout employment.

• Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, codes and regulations applicable to the assigned responsibility;
  
• Trial and hearing practices, procedures and rules of evidence;
  
• Legal research methods, practices and techniques;
  
• General office practices and procedures, such as record keeping practices.

• Perform legal research;
  
• Analyze and apply legal principles and facts to legal issues;
  
• Analyze situations accurately and recommend an effective course of action;
  
• Exercise good judgment and make sound decisions on legal cases and in dealing with people;
  
• Monitor current and proposed legislation relating to assigned responsibility;
  
• Write comments or arguments appropriately within a political and sensitive environment;
  
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and colleagues in the performance of required duties.