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Sys Director Sr Counsel
Company : Catholic Health Initiatives
Location : Little Rock, AR
Job Type : Full Time
Salary : 89.69-133.41 HOUR
Date Posted : 8 January 2026
Job Summary and Responsibilities
Location: The attorney may work remotely; the preference is for a lawyer located in Arkansas with sufficient proximity to access Hospital and ambulatory locations within the Market.
Job Summary / Purpose
The Legal Operations Senior Counsel provides a general array of direct, high-level legal services and serves as a thought-leader and trusted advisor primarily to the Arkansas Market in CommonSpirit’s South Region. Work may include regional delivery systems, acute care facilities, other inpatient or outpatient/ambulatory operations, system-level functions, service lines, or related activities, working independently or with minimal supervision, in a manner consistent with CommonSpirit's mission, vision, and values.
Essential Functions
- Perform direct, consistent, high-level legal services for, represent, and support CommonSpirit’s Arkansas Market. Direct legal services will include, but not be limited to: preparation, review, and revision of complex non-physician agreements and complex physician agreements (using templates adopted by the Legal Team, as appropriate); and provision of sophisticated legal counsel and guidance relating to health care operational issues, including patient consent, bioethics, risk management, medical staff, licensing and certification, policies, contractual arrangements (rights and responsibilities), regulatory requirements, Stark and Anti-Kickback compliance, and other areas of health care operations subject to state and federal laws and regulations.
- Serve as a legal subject matter expert capable of providing sophisticated legal advice to Arkansas Market leadership, management, boards, and committees, as well as to other members of the Legal Team and be knowledgeable about other health care laws applicable to CommonSpirit.
- Develop and maintain subject matter expertise in one or more health care operations law substantive areas supported by the Legal Team and use this expertise for the benefit of CommonSpirit. This will include serving as a subject matter expert on one or more areas of health care operations law to assist other members of the Legal Team, as well as members of CommonSpirit business operations across the enterprise.
- Actively engage and coordinate with other Legal Team members, as needed, for effective delivery of health care legal operations services across the enterprise.
- Supervise, direct, manage, and collaborate with junior attorneys, paralegals, executive assistants, and other Legal Team support staff.
- Manage and evaluate outside counsel engaged to provide health care operations-related legal support.
- Prepare, review, and revise corporate documents (e.g., articles of incorporation and bylaws) and assist with internal CommonSpirit approval processes (e.g., Governance Matrix, Approval and Signature Authority Policy, etc.) for the Arkansas Market.
- Manage and assist with Arkansas litigation, administrative proceedings, and other regulatory (including licensure and certification) proceedings or matters.
Education and Experience
Experience Details - Juris Doctorate
Equivalent degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Arkansas License preferred
Required - Eight (8) years’ legal work experience either with a law firm or in-house legal department involving the performance of general, operational, or specialty legal services for hospitals, health systems, medical foundations or groups, clinics, providers, health care delivery organizations, or integrated delivery systems.
LI-CSH
Where You'll WorkAt the heart of CommonSpirit Health's ministry are the national office departments that provide the foundational support, resources, and expertise that empower local communities to focus on what they do best—caring for patients. Our teams bring together expertise in clinical excellence, operations, finance, human resources, legal, supply chain, technology, and mission integration.
Guided by our faith-based values, the national office fosters consistency, alignment, and innovation across CommonSpirit. By centralizing expertise and leveraging economies of scale, we enable each location to operate efficiently while maintaining flexibility to address unique local community needs. From advancing digital solutions to driving health equity, these departments extend the healing presence of humankindness everywhere we serve.
Fort Smith, AR
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Frequently asked questions
Arkansas healthcare law presents specific regulatory nuances, including state certification and licensing requirements. A Sys Sr Counsel must navigate these while advising on complex physician agreements and compliance with federal regulations like Stark and anti-kickback statutes, balancing legal risks with operational healthcare needs.
Senior counsel in healthcare systems focus heavily on patient care-related legalities, including bioethics, healthcare operations, and clinical regulatory compliance. Unlike general corporate counsel, they often engage with medical staff governance and healthcare-specific risk management, requiring deep expertise in health law frameworks.
Expertise in healthcare regulations, contract negotiation for physician and non-physician agreements, and leadership in legal team supervision are crucial. Strong advisory capabilities in managing litigation and regulatory processes, coupled with strategic coordination across diverse healthcare operations, set this role apart.
Advancement often involves increasing leadership over multi-state legal teams, specializing in emerging healthcare law areas, or transitioning into executive roles overseeing compliance and risk management. The role offers a pathway to influence healthcare policy and operational governance at a system-wide level.
Catholic Health Initiatives integrates mission-driven healthcare with comprehensive legal support, offering a collaborative environment focused on ethical healthcare delivery. Counsel at CHI engage with a broad spectrum of legal operations, from compliance to strategic legal advisement, within a faith-based organizational culture.
Candidates should be prepared for complex regulatory landscapes spanning inpatient and ambulatory care, managing diverse contract types, and leading multidisciplinary legal teams. Handling state-specific litigation and certification issues in Arkansas also requires nuanced understanding of local healthcare laws.
Senior Director Counsel positions in Little Rock typically offer between $140,000 and $180,000 annually, depending on experience and specialized healthcare legal expertise. Compensation reflects the critical nature of compliance and operational legal guidance within integrated delivery systems.
Little Rock, being a healthcare hub, shows higher demand for experienced legal counsel due to its concentration of hospitals and healthcare systems. This drives competitive hiring, particularly for candidates with in-depth knowledge of Arkansas healthcare regulations and system-level operations.
While remote work is possible, proximity to Little Rock is preferred to facilitate on-site visits efficiently. Traffic patterns and hospital locations require strategic planning to balance remote legal advisement with timely physical presence for critical meetings or proceedings.
Maintaining an active Arkansas law license is essential, with added value from certifications in healthcare compliance or risk management. Credentials like Certified Healthcare Compliance (CHC) or familiarity with state-specific health law courses can strengthen a candidate’s standing in this specialized field.