The Chief Legal Officer (CLO) serves as the principal legal advisor to the organization and a key member of the executive leadership team. The CLO provides strategic legal counsel that enables high-quality, compliant, and sustainable care delivery across an integrated, multidisciplinary medical group serving Oregon and Southwest Washington. This role balances legal risk management with business partnership, supporting clinical operations, growth strategies, and physician leadership in a highly regulated healthcare environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Governance
- Serves as the principal legal advisor to the Executive Medical Director, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Leadership Team, and Board of Directors, contributing to enterprise strategy, long-range planning, and major organizational decisions.
- Leads corporate governance activities, ensuring compliance with fiduciary duties, governing documents, corporate policies, and applicable securities or ownership considerations.
- Supports the Board of Directors and shareholder governance processes, including elections, committee structures, bylaws, and related governance best practices.
- Advises leadership on organizational structure, risk tolerance, and decision-making frameworks aligned with mission, values, and regulatory obligations.
Legal Strategy, Advisory Services & Business Enablement
- Provides proactive, solution-oriented legal counsel across the enterprise, including healthcare regulatory law, corporate and transactional law, employment and labor law, quality and credentialing, telehealth and virtual care, Medicare and Medicaid compliance, and emerging care models.
- Serves as lead legal advisor on strategic transactions, affiliations, joint ventures, acquisitions, divestitures, and new market or service line development.
- Oversees the drafting, negotiation, and management of all material contracts, including payer agreements, provider and physician arrangements, vendor contracts, and strategic partnerships.
- Acts as a trusted legal partner to clinical, operational, and administrative leaders, enabling timely and informed business decisions.
Risk Management, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs
- Provides executive oversight of enterprise risk management, compliance programs, and the litigation portfolio.
- Designs, implements, and continuously improves systems and processes to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, healthcare regulations, accreditation standards, and internal policies.
- Directs legislative, regulatory, and government relations strategy in coordination with executive leadership, ensuring organizational interests are effectively represented at the state and federal levels.
- Anticipates and advises on regulatory changes and emerging legal risks impacting care delivery, reimbursement, workforce, and innovation.
Legal Operations & Vendor Management
- Leads, develops, and mentors the Legal Department, fostering a high-performing, service-oriented, and accountable team.
- Establishes best practices for legal operations, including matter management, contract lifecycle management, budgeting, and performance metrics.
- Selects, directs the work product, and evaluates outside counsel and legal vendors, ensuring high-quality, cost-effective, and aligned legal services.
Executive Leadership & Organizational Culture
- Models ethical leadership and reinforces the organization's mission, vision, and values.
- Promotes a culture of transparency, collaboration, equity, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Integrates legal perspectives into enterprise initiatives, operational planning, and clinical transformation efforts.
- Serves as a visible and trusted leader across the organization.
Minimum Education, Certification and Related Experience:
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
- Active law license in good standing in at least on U.S. jurisdiction.
- Licensure to practice law in Oregon and Washington required within 12 months of hire.
- At minimum, candidate must be eligible for and obtain admission on motion or house counsel licensing in Oregon and Washington upon hire.
- Minimum of 15 years of progressive legal practice experience, including significant experience in healthcare law and senior-level advisory roles.
- Demonstrated expertise in healthcare regulatory matters, corporate governance, contracting, risk management, and employment law.
- Proven experience advising executive leaders and boards of directors in complex, highly regulated environments.
- Experience directing outside counsel and leading or overseeing a multidisciplinary in-house legal team.
Company Overview
Northwest Permanente is a self-governed, physician-led, multi-specialty group of 1,500 physicians, surgeons, and clinicians, caring for over 600,000 members in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Kaiser Permanente is one of the nation's preeminent health care systems, a benchmark for comprehensive, integrated, value-based, and high-quality care.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Northwest Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status.
