Associate General Counsel

Job description

The VP Legal Affairs and General Counsel portfolio is responsible for leading and managing legal affairs of the hospital, including managing the legal claims and the insurance portfolio. The Associate General Counsel reports to the VP Legal Affairs and General Counsel, and assists with all aspects of the legal portfolio, including contracts, policies, and health law. The Associate General Counsel will oversee and lead the legal claims and insurance portfolio, and will oversee the Claims Specialists.

The successful candidate must possess sound judgment and highly analytical skills combined with a practical, solutions oriented and client centred approach. In addition, highly developed communication and research skills, demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in teams, including demonstrated consensus building skills and excellent interpersonal skills.

Accountabilities

• Oversees the legal claims portfolio
• Tracks trends and risks in ongoing litigation
• Sets processes and procedures for handling claims management process at Osler
• Prepares reports to the executive Team, and where appropriate, Board Committees on legal claims trends/risks
• Assists in overseeing HIROC/external legal in its defense of claims
• Advises proactively as a litigation avoidance strategy
• Oversees, and where appropriate, attends to fact-finding and legal research on a variety of matters
• Determines where other expertise is required to complete tasks and collaborates with departments on such interactions (e.g., Security, Research Ethics Board, Medical Affairs, Finance, etc.)
• Knowledge of insurance market and products
• Oversee the implementation of Osler’s insurance policies, including gathering of required information to support the policies and renewals
• Review of complex agreements
• Identify areas of potential legal and statutory risks, determines acceptable levels of risk, and makes recommendations to ensure clients take appropriate measures to manage risk in their contractual and other arrangements.
• May provide advice on consent, substitute decision-making, discharge planning, etc., participate in investigations and provide legal advice on critical incident management.
• Build relationships and connections with various departments to ensure alignment and legal risk mitigation

Job qualifications

• At minimum an LLB (Bachelors of Law) or JD (Juris Doctor)
• Member of the Law Society of Ontario with good standing
• At least seven years experience working at a hospital or health care organization, or in private practice with a focus on health law and health litigation.
• Experience leading a team
• Demonstrated ability to interact positively and work cooperatively with colleagues, staff and effectively as part of a team
• Proven collaborative planning skills in a fast-paced environment
• Fairness, openness, patience and a high level of integrity
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required; ability to translate complex regulatory standards into material that can be understood by a functionally diverse audience
• Excellent knowledge of the litigation process.
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, negotiation and diplomacy skills while being assertive and proactive
• Excellent organizational and time management skills required to handle competing priorities/deadlines
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with an attention to detail
• Eagerness to learn new areas and work with little supervision
• Experience in a multi-site facility preferred
• Experience in developing and sustaining effective and collaborative professional working relationships and partnerships
• Experience with regulatory and legal research preferred
• Knowledge of the role of policies, procedures and protocols
• Knowledge of laws applicable to hospitals in Ontario
• Must demonstrate Osler's Values of Respect, Excellence, Service, Compassion, Innovation and Collaboration

Additional information

DURATION: Approximately twelve (12) months or until the previous incumbent returns.

Hours: Currently days (subject to change in accordance with operational requirements)

Remote First: Roles that can function primarily remotely but require essential, occasional onsite

Salary: Minimum: $137,026.50

Maximum: $171,268.50