Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Provide reproductive health care and education

General Counsel

Legal Counsel & Legal SupportPosted on Nov 12

Full-timeMilwaukee, WI, USA$119.4k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

Demonstrated legal research and writing skills.
Demonstrated competency in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and leadership anchored in equity.
Ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues, consultants, government officials, outside counsel, and partner organizations.
Ability to operate autonomously and collaboratively and ensure projects are completed thoroughly and on time.
Ability to serve as a public spokesperson as necessary.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Commitment to comprehensive, voluntary family planning programs and a patient's right to make personal health care decisions, including decisions about abortion and gender-affirming care.
Ability to monitor and operationalize agency strategic objectives under the Office of General Counsel.
Ability to communicate orally and in writing to colleagues, board members, supporters, community members, and other stakeholders and partners.
Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school, current Wisconsin license to practice law, and membership in the State Bar of Wisconsin are required.
Five years of legal experience are required.
Supervisory experience is required.
A valid driver's license, auto insurance meeting agency liability standards, and transportation are required.
Ability to meet the position's physical requirements, including regularly sitting, bending, standing, walking, hearing, talking, handling, and grasping; occasional stooping, reaching, stair-climbing, and repetitive hand and wrist motions; rare kneeling, pushing/pulling, and repetitive foot motions; lifting up to 30 pounds; close vision; and operating a computer, telephone, fax, copy machine, and calculator.
Ability to work occasional evenings and/or weekends and travel statewide occasionally.
Any job offer is contingent upon the results of a background investigation.

Responsibilities

Lead the Office of General Counsel and develop and implement legal strategies to protect and promote reproductive and sexual health services and comprehensive sexuality education.
Advise on administrative agency, legislative, and community strategies supporting the organization's mission.
Lead agency risk management and compliance work and serve as the lead liaison for legal, compliance, and litigation efforts.
At the direction of the Chief Strategy Officer and in consultation with the President and CEO and other senior leadership, manage in-house counsel and represent the organization's interests in matters involving government agencies and officials, opposing counsel, health care compliance, employee matters, and agency-wide corporate compliance.
Enhance patient and staff safety and security through legal strategies related to federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
Develop, direct, and implement a legal strategy that builds statewide capacity and protects patients' legal and constitutional rights to reproductive health care, including contraception, gender-affirming care, and abortion; participate in administrative agency and legislative strategies supporting these goals.
Work with the Chief Strategy Officer to develop and grow the Office of General Counsel.
Develop the departmental budget.
Conduct legal research on issues affecting the organization and assess whether internal or external counsel is appropriate.
Lead the organization's litigation strategy and coordinate with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America litigation and law team, outside legal counsel, and advocacy organizations on potential or active lawsuits.
Assist federation attorneys and/or outside counsel with motions, briefs, discovery requests, witness preparation, and other trial- or appellate-related documents.
Provide internal staff, board members, and other stakeholders with legal updates on litigation affecting reproductive rights and the organization's ability to provide services.
Act as a media spokesperson on legal, operations, and policy issues as assigned.
Act as legal counsel for the organization as applicable.
Review agency policy and protocol changes for compliance with relevant laws.
Oversee qualified staff preparing regular state lobbying filings with the state ethics board in accordance with state and federal law.
Serve as the C3/C4 separation compliance officer and create and implement training and compliance processes as needed.
Research, monitor, and review new, existing, and proposed federal and state laws and regulations affecting health care systems; collaborate with the Chief Strategy Officer to recommend compliant policies and procedures.
Prepare legislative and regulatory analysis, memoranda, and materials on relevant public policy matters.
Analyze and draft legislative amendments and legislation, or direct appropriate staff to draft them.
Work with government relations staff to inform and advance strategies protecting and expanding access to reproductive health care, including abortion.
Attend and participate in hearings, committee meetings, legislative sessions, and other public forums as assigned; provide testimony and work with public affairs staff to secure coalition, organizational, and individual support or opposition and favorable media coverage.
Serve as a lobbyist registered with the state of Wisconsin as assigned.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Interview, hire, train, plan and assign work for, direct, appraise, reward, and discipline employees; address complaints and resolve problems.

Desired Qualifications

Prior experience developing litigation strategy or working in organizational risk or quality management.
Prior legal experience with campaign finance law, 501(c)(3)/501(c)(4) compliance, public interest law, commercial leases, employment contracts, or health care law.
Related work experience in community organizing, governmental relations, public policy, and/or public affairs.

At Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Inc. (PPWI), we work to provide quality, affordable health care services, comprehensive education, and strong advocacy. We serve over 50,000 patients annually in 18 health centers statewide, making us the largest and most trusted reproductive health care provider in Wisconsin. Our goal is to help keep Wisconsin safe, healthy and strong!

This is an excellent opportunity for a General Counsel (40 hrs./wk., benefits eligible) at our Jackson Street Administrative Offices.

As part of our comprehensive benefit package, we offer:

- Company contribution toward medical insurance deductible

- Generous Paid Time Off

- 12 Days of Holiday Pay

- Immediate 401(k) Vesting with up to 6% company contribution

- Paid Parental Leave

- Tuition Assistance

- Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

PPWI’s compensation philosophy is rooted in equity. Starting offers are determined by both the candidate’s applicable experience and internal equity. The General Counsel pay starts from $119,350.40 per year.

Additional $1.50 per hour for bilingual (English/Spanish)

PURPOSE of POSITION:

The General Counsel position leads the Office of General Counsel responsible for the development and implementation of legal strategies aimed at creating a climate where reproductive and sexual health services and comprehensive sexuality education is protected and promoted. This includes leading legal strategies designed to extend and defend constitutional rights associated with reproductive health and healthcare, including gender affirming care, contraception, and abortion. This position advises on the development and implementation of administrative agency, legislative and community strategies aimed at supporting PPWI’s mission. This position will also lead the agency’s risk management and compliance work. It is the lead agency liaison for legal, compliance and litigation efforts.  

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

·Must be committed to excellent customer service and the vision and values of PPWI. 

·Demonstrated competency in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and leadership anchored in equity. 

·Must possess demonstrated legal research and writing skills.

·Must possess diplomatic skills and the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues, consultants, government officials, outside counsel, and partner organizations.

·Ability to operate autonomously and in concert with others and ensure that projects are completed thoroughly and on time.

·Ability to serve as a public spokesperson as necessary.

·Must maintain confidentiality.

·Must be committed to comprehensive, voluntary family planning programs and a patient’s right to make personal decisions regarding health care, including abortion and gender affirming care.

·Must have the ability to monitor and operationalize agency strategic objectives that fall under the purview of the Office of General Counsel.

·Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing to a variety of audiences, including colleagues, board members, supporters, community members and other stakeholders and partners.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

·Juris Doctorate from an ABA accredited law school, current license to practice law in the state of Wisconsin and member of the State Bar of Wisconsin required.

·Five (5)years of legal experience, with a preference for prior experience in the development of litigation strategy or organizational risk, quality management work.

·Prior legal experience with campaign finance law, 501(c)(3)/501(c)(4) compliance, public interest law, commercial leases, employment contracts or healthcare law preferred.

·Related work experience in community organizing, governmental relations, public policy, and/or public affairs work is also preferred.

·Requires supervisory experience.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position is predominantly sedentary, requiring the ability to sit, bend, stand and walk. May require occasional stooping, reaching, stair-climbing and repetitive motions of the hands and wrist related to writing and typing on an electronic keyboard. Rarely requires kneeling, pushing/pulling and repetitive motions of the feet.

Physical demands of the position necessitate hearing, talking, handling and grasping regularly. May require lifting, up to 30 pounds. Specific vision conditions include close vision reading. Requires the ability to operate a computer, telephone, fax, copy machine and adding machine or calculator.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The position is generally performed in an office environment but involves frequent interruptions. The noise level is generally low to quiet. The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations, however, may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform said essential functions.

Evening and/or weekend hours may be necessary.

This position requires occasional traveling statewide, therefore a valid driver’s license and auto insurance in accordance with agency liability standards is required. Must have transportation.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

At the direction of the Chief Strategy Officer, in consultation with the President and CEO and other senior leadership, manage in-house counsel and represent PPWI’s interests in matters related to government agencies and officials, opposing counsel, health care compliance, employee matters and agency-wide corporate compliance.

Work to enhance the safety and security of PPWI patients and staff through legal strategies related to federal, state, and local laws and ordinances

Develop, direct and implement a legal strategy that builds PPWI’s statewide power and strengthens and protects a patient’s legal and constitutional rights to access the full range of reproductive healthcare, including contraception, gender affirming care, and abortion services. Participate in formulation of administrative agency and legislative strategies that promote these goals.

This position will work with the Chief Strategy Officer to develop and grow PPWI’s Office of General Counsel.

Development of departmental budget.

Conduct legal research on issues impacting PPWI and assess whether internal or external counsel is appropriate.

Serve as strategic lead on PPWI’s litigation strategy. Coordinate litigation strategy with Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) litigation and law team and/or outside legal counsel, and/or other advocacy organizations on potential or active PPWI lawsuits.

Assist PPFA litigation and law attorneys and/or outside counsel in the preparation of motions, briefs, discovery requests, witness preparation and other trial or appellate related documents.

Provide legal updates to internal staff, board, or other stakeholders on any litigation efforts that impact reproductive rights and protect the organization’s ability to provide necessary services.

Act as media spokesperson on legal, operations and policy issues as assigned.

Act as legal counsel for PPWI as applicable.

Review changes to agency policy and protocol to ensure that they are in compliance with relevant laws.

Oversee qualified staff to prepare regular state lobbying filings to state ethics board in accordance with state and federal law.

Serve as the C3/C4 separation compliance officer. Create and implement training and compliance processes as needed.

Research, monitor and review new, existing and proposed federal and state laws and regulations that affect health care systems; collaborate with Chief Strategy Officer to recommend policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Prepare legislative and regulatory analysis, memos and materials on relevant public policy matters.

Analyze and draft legislative amendments and legislation, or direct appropriate staff to draft.

Work with government relations staff to inform and advance government relations strategies related to protecting and expanding access to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion.

As assigned, attend and participate in related hearings, committee meetings, legislative sessions, and other public forums by providing testimony and working with public affairs staff to secure coalition, organizational and individual support/opposition as well as favorable media coverage of issues.

As assigned, serve as lobbyist registered with the state of Wisconsin.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Any job offer will be contingent upon the results of a background investigation.

PPWI is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace.

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About the Company

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Provide reproductive health care and education

Planned Parenthood Federation of America operates health centers that deliver reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people. Its services are provided by skilled health care professionals who offer care and guidance on reproductive health topics through in-person clinics and related programs. The organization combines medical services, education, and advocacy to support informed health decisions and broader access to health care and rights. Unlike many health groups that focus on a single aspect, Planned Parenthood integrates care, education, and advocacy at a global scale, leveraging partnerships to extend its reach. Its goal is to create a healthier world by ensuring access to health care and rights for all people.

Company size: 5,001-10,000
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: $276M
Headquarters: New York City, New York
Founded: 1916

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