Employment & Compliance Counsel

Job Summary:
The Employment & Compliance Counsel will serve as the primary legal expert on all employment matters while also overseeing our comprehensive compliance program. This position must stay abreast of the constantly changing healthcare regulatory environment as we expand our position nationally.

Essential Functions:
The following is a summary of the essential functions for this position. Other duties may be performed, both major and minor, that are not mentioned below, and specific job functions may change periodically.

• Employment Law Advice & Counsel: Provide real-time legal guidance to HR and management on hiring, terminations, wage and hour laws, FMLA/ADA compliance, and other employee relations matters.
• Litigation Management: Manage outside counsel for employment-related litigation and represent the company in administrative proceedings (EEOC, DOL, etc.).
• Policy Development: Update the employee handbook, restrictive covenants (non-competes), and independent contractor agreements tailored to dental professionals.
• M&A Support: Review employment agreements, policies, outstanding litigation, and company practices for potential legal risk during acquisition due diligence.
  Compliance & Governance
• Program Oversight: Maintain and evolve the corporate compliance program to ensure adherence to federal and state healthcare laws. Partner with internal subject matter experts from other functional areas (clinical, financial, HR, IT, etc.) to adopt a comprehensive view of compliance.
• Regulatory Guidance: Advise on HIPAA/HITECH privacy standards, Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), and False Claims Act matters. Beyond healthcare, understand key data privacy laws, such as Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and other state-level laws that may impact the flow of personally identifiable information (PII) through our marketing or patient communications efforts.
• Auditing and Investigations: Lead critical internal investigations and compliance audits then develop corrective action plans for any identified deficiencies; train HR Business Partners on best practices for employee investigations; update Chief Compliance Officer on any highly sensitive investigations for which management escalation is required.
• Risk Mitigation: Identify potential legal and compliance vulnerabilities across our practices and implement proactive strategies to minimize exposure.
• Training: Develop and deliver, with the support of our learning and development team, training modules for non-clinical staff regarding workplace conduct, compliance, and other regulatory requirements.
• Audit, Risk, and Compliance (ARC): Compile and prepare regular reports and presentations for the Chief Compliance Officer and ARC committee of the Board of Directors to provide a comprehensive view of the status of our compliance program. Attend ARC meetings to discuss sensitive topics or present in areas of domain expertise.

Basic Education, Training, and Experience Required:

• Education: Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Licensure: Active member in good standing with the State Bar (KY preferred).
• Experience: 5–8+ years of legal experience, preferably with a mix of law firm and in-house DSO or other healthcare experience.
• Expertise: Deep knowledge of federal/state employment laws and healthcare regulatory frameworks (OIG guidelines, HIPAA).
• Skills: Exceptional negotiation, drafting, and interpersonal communication skills.