Legal Services Deputy General Counsel - Research Institute

Profile

The Deputy General Counsel - Research serves as the principal legal advisor to Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (“Research Institute”) and is responsible for acting independently and in conjunction with General Counsel in providing legal advice and legal services for the benefit of the Research Institute and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Inc. and its other subsidiaries and related companies (“Hospital”) in a manner consistent with the mission, values, and strategic objectives of the Hospital. 

Responsibility:

• Serves as the primary advisor and is responsible for providing legal advice for an extensive portfolio of operational functions including but not limited to regulatory compliance, sponsored projects office, conflict of interests, intellectual property, and complex technology transfer transactions.   
• Reviews negotiate, and assists in the development of clinical and non-clinical research agreements, and other vendor contracts including providing federal research compliance analysis, fraud and abuse analysis, non-profit tax implications, and compliance with relevant state and federal laws.
• Provides legal advice on the development, licensing, and defense of the Research Institute and Hospital’s intellectual property portfolio; advising on the legal aspects of various transactions involving intellectual property and technology transfer (e.g., licensing, sponsored research, collaboration, material transfer, non-disclosure, data use); overseeing legal aspects associated with registration, licensing, enforcement, and defense of trademarks; counseling on various copyright issues (including fair use, open-source licensing, music licensing, photo/video releases); and assisting in the development of intellectual property educational programs and policies 
• Serves as a Hospital resource for legal issues regarding technology transfer, trademarks, copyrights, HIPAA, corporate matters, finance, tax, compliance, regulatory and healthcare matters, litigation, and governmental relations. Maintains working knowledge of all legal matters being handled by Legal Services and provides support to other in-house colleagues on matters such as intellectual property, HIPAA, tax, insurance, and payor matters.
• Supervises and coordinates the activities of outside legal counsel within areas of responsibility.  Keeps current on a wide range of health care legal and regulatory issues to assist in identifying legal issues requiring attention and to provide support and help ensure the quality of work being performed in Legal Services.  Mentors and supervises other lawyers and other professionals and paraprofessionals.  
• Supervises and coordinates work of administrative staff in Legal Services (currently, paralegals, legal assistants, and student interns).  Recruits, coaches, develops, and retains qualified, competent staff. Creates and supports an environment that fosters teamwork, cooperation, respect, diversity, and where staff feels valued, appreciated, and recognized. Supports enforces and interprets institutional and departmental procedures and policies. Provides annual performance reviews. Provides an environment of open communication. Demonstrates and maintains an effective collaborative and open-door communication policy and process with staff.
• Assists General Counsel in providing leadership and direction to Legal Services and serves as back-up to General Counsel on all Research Institute-related issues.  Assists and supports General Counsel in legal, administrative, and corporate governance matters, as requested, including in planning and leading team meetings and organizing departmental work activities. Serves as legal adviser to the Research Institute Board of Directors and assistant corporate secretary.  Develops and assists in implementing key department processes, including payment of outside legal bills, budgeting, filing, on-call scheduling.  Develops and evaluates new approaches and technologies to meeting departmental and institutional goals. Approves bills from outside counsel.
• Completes, on a timely basis, projects as assigned by the General Counsel.
• Provides support to the NCHI Integrity and Compliance Program, with particular emphasis on research compliance, Stark-law, and related fraud and abuse compliance issues.
• Participates in Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Inc. and it's subsidiaries committees as deemed appropriate and attends annual Hospital and departmental fire/safety and infection control training, and maintains current knowledge of safety procedures within the Hospital and department.

Qualifications:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

Education:

• Juris Doctorate and licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio, prefer undergraduate or graduate degree in a healthcare-related field

Required Experience:

• Fifteen or more years of legal experience, including both in-house and private practice, with academic healthcare law experience with a concentration in the areas of clinical and non-clinical research, technology transfer, research compliance, and corporate healthcare law.  
• A minimum of ten years of legal experience in matters related to a bench and clinical research, research regulatory and compliance, and technology transfer and intellectual property law preferred.

Preferred Experience:

• Excellent listener with strong verbal, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Must have rigorous attention to detail and be innovative and solution-oriented.
• Must be driven for results and able to handle a heavy workload efficiently.
• Must possess good practical judgment and legal skills and able to render independent legal advice.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work and meet tight deadlines.
• Demonstrate strong analytical skills and counseling skills, judgment, and empathy.  

Minimum Physical Requirement:

• Sitting (Constantly)
• Talking on the phone and in-person (Frequently)
• Typing on a computer (Frequently)

EOE M/F/Disability/Vet

Company info

Nationwide Children's Hospital