Our client, a long-established, mission-driven California organization with a diversified group of affiliated nonprofit and operating entities, is seeking a General Counsel to lead the legal function across a complex, matrixed enterprise. The General Counsel will be employed by the parent organization and manage legal matters across six affiliated entities, supporting multiple CEOs, senior leaders, and boards of directors.
This is a hybrid position with a preference for candidates based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization has offices and operations throughout California, including Northern and Southern California.
Reporting to the CEO who oversees shared services, the General Counsel will serve as a practical, business-oriented advisor across the enterprise. The role will have accountability to four CEOs through the shared-services model and will work closely with leadership across the seven corporate entities. This is an established legal function with a long history of stable leadership, and the incoming General Counsel will inherit a model that relies on outside counsel for specialized matters while taking primary ownership of general corporate, commercial, contracts, governance, and day-to-day legal needs.
Responsibilities:
- Serve as the senior legal advisor to the parent organization, its affiliated entities, executive leadership, and governing boards in a complex, matrixed environment.
- Provide day-to-day counsel on general corporate and commercial matters, with particular emphasis on contracts, business transactions, governance, and enterprise risk.
- Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of commercial agreements and other contracts supporting operations across the organization.
- Advise senior leadership on legal and business issues affecting healthcare, senior living, nonprofit operations, insurance-related activities, investments, real estate, and other operating businesses.
- Support legal and regulatory matters arising from a regulated senior living and healthcare environment.
- Partner with leadership and the investment committee on governance and legal matters related to the organization’s endowment and strategic investments, as appropriate.
- Oversee and efficiently manage outside counsel across specialized areas, including senior living and healthcare, employment, insurance, real estate and land use, litigation, and other regulatory matters.
- Advise on real estate and land-use matters associated with properties located throughout California, coordinating with specialized outside counsel as needed.
- Provide thoughtful legal support to newer or evolving business activities and affiliated entities as they become more fully integrated into the broader corporate structure.
- Proactively identify legal and regulatory risk and provide practical recommendations that balance legal considerations with organizational priorities and business objectives.
- Build trusted relationships across multiple executive teams and boards, navigating shared accountability and differing stakeholder needs with sound judgment and diplomacy.
Requirements:
- J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar; California bar membership or eligibility is preferred.
- Significant, broad-based corporate legal experience with strong capabilities in general corporate matters, contracts, business transactions, governance, and management of outside counsel.
- Prior General Counsel experience is strongly preferred. Exceptional candidates who have served as a senior in-house #2 or as outside counsel with substantial General Counsel-level responsibility will also be considered.
- Demonstrated experience advising CEOs, senior executives, and boards of directors.
- Strong business acumen, maturity, judgment, and the ability to operate effectively within a complex, matrixed organization.
- Experience working in a regulated industry or advising regulated businesses is a plus.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, relationship-building, and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage a broad portfolio of matters while knowing when to engage and oversee specialized outside counsel.
- Ability to travel periodically within California, including to Southern California, for board and business meetings.
Additional qualifications which are a plus (though not required):
- Experience in senior living or continuing care retirement communities.
- Experience in healthcare or health-related services.
- Experience advising nonprofit, membership-based, or multi-entity organizations.
- Exposure to insurance businesses or insurance regulatory matters.
- Experience with real estate, land use, or organizations with significant property holdings.
- Experience supporting investment, endowment, or strategic investment activities.
- Experience in health technology or another regulated technology environment may also translate well.
The current targeted base salary for this position ranges from $300,000–$350,000. Our client offers a robust retirement program, including a safe-harbor 401(k) contribution that varies by age, a 401(k) match, and a 457(b) plan. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications and directly relevant experience.
This is an opportunity to become the senior legal leader of a stable, sophisticated, mission-oriented organization with diverse operations and a significant presence throughout California. The General Counsel will inherit an established outside-counsel network while having the opportunity to determine how the legal function should evolve and which capabilities are most effectively brought in-house.
The role should appeal to an experienced legal executive who values substantive and varied work, close relationships with senior leadership and boards, and the opportunity to have a meaningful impact without the constant volatility often associated with high-growth corporate environments.
Solutus has been selected as the exclusive representative for this confidential search. Candidates applying directly to our client will be redirected to Solutus for consideration.
Ref. #987-SLS
Skills Required
- J.D. from an accredited law school
- Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar
- California bar membership or eligibility
- Significant, broad-based corporate legal experience
- Strong experience with general corporate matters, contracts, business transactions, governance, and outside counsel management
- Prior General Counsel experience
- Senior in-house number-two or outside counsel experience with substantial General Counsel-level responsibility
- Experience advising CEOs, senior executives, and boards of directors
- Strong business acumen, maturity, judgment, and ability to operate in a complex, matrixed organization
- Experience working in a regulated industry or advising regulated businesses
- Excellent communication, negotiation, relationship-building, and organizational skills
- Ability to manage a broad portfolio and oversee specialized outside counsel
- Ability to travel periodically within California, including Southern California
- Experience in senior living or continuing care retirement communities
- Experience in healthcare or health-related services
- Experience advising nonprofit, membership-based, or multi-entity organizations
- Exposure to insurance businesses or insurance regulatory matters
- Experience with real estate, land use, or organizations with significant property holdings
- Experience supporting investment, endowment, or strategic investment activities
- Experience in health technology or another regulated technology environment
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