Associate General Counsel

ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL Acuity Eye Group | Southern California | Full-Time, Exempt About Acuity Eye Group Acuity Eye Group is one of the largest ophthalmology platforms in the Western United States, operating 50+ clinic locations and multiple ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across Southern California. Our subspecialty footprint spans general ophthalmology, retina, glaucoma, oculoplastics, and cataract/anterior segment. We combine physician-led clinical excellence with a platform-scale operations model, and we are in an active growthphase - new locations, new physician partnerships, and continued investment in compliance infrastructure. Acuity is seeking an Associate General Counsel to serve as embedded in-house legal counsel. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role reporting directly to the General Counsel and partnering closely with the COO and executive team. You will handle a broad scope of legal matters, with particular depth in healthcare regulatory compliance, physician contracts, employment law, and ASC governance. Position Summary The AGC is the day-to-day legal resource for Acuity's operations, compliance, and business teams. You will be expected to work fast and work practically - drafting and reviewing contracts, advising on California employment matters, supporting incident response and risk mitigation, and staying ahead of regulatory developments that affect multi-site ophthalmology and ASC operations. This is not a purely advisory role; you will own work-streams and drive them to resolution. Key Responsibilities Healthcare Regulatory & Compliance • Advise on HIPAA, Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute, and California-specific healthcare regulations • Support AAAHC/CMS ASC compliance, including governing body structure, policy review, and incident response • Manage OMIC and professional liability notifications; coordinate with external counsel on adverse events and claims • Monitor regulatory changes affecting ophthalmology, ASC operations, and multi-site group practices • Support development and maintenance of compliance policies across clinical and operational functions Contracts & Transactions • Draft, review, and negotiate physician employment agreements, independent contractor agreements, and PSAs • Handle vendor contracts, real estate leases, equipment financing, and managed care agreements • Support M&A diligence and integration activity as the platform continues to grow • Maintain contract tracking system and manage execution workflows Employment & HR Legal Support • Advise HR and operations on California employment law - wage and hour, FEHA, FMLA/CFRA, retaliation, and separation • Review and update offer letters, employment agreements, policies, and handbooks • Support investigation of employee complaints and EEOC/DFEH responses • Partner with COO and HR on performance management and termination risk assessment Risk Management & Litigation • Manage external counsel relationships; coordinate litigation strategy and monitor spend • Conduct or oversee root cause analyses in response to adverse clinical or operational events • Maintain litigation hold protocols and support discovery obligations • Provide legal input on insurance coverage, renewals, and claims Corporate Governance & General Counsel Support • Assist GC in building and maintaining the legal function's infrastructure - templates, playbooks, tracking tools • Support board and governing body documentation requirements for ASCs • Handle state licensing, corporate filings, and regulatory registrations • Serve as a trusted, practical advisor to business leaders who need answers, not just analysis Qualifications Required • J.D. from an accredited law school; active California State Bar membership in good standing • 5-10 years of legal experience, with meaningful time in healthcare - in-house, law firm, or both • Demonstrated fluency in healthcare regulatory law (Stark, AKS, HIPAA, California DMHC/CDPH) • Experience with ASC or multi-site clinical operations is strongly preferred • Solid California employment law background - this comes up constantly • Proven ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and give clear, direct advice Preferred • Prior in-house experience in a physician group practice, DSO, or ASC platform • Experience with AAAHC accreditation, CMS Conditions of Participation, or ambulatory surgery governance • Comfort with physician recruiting, compensation, and equity structures in multi-specialty group practices • Familiarity with Nextech, CareCloud, or similar EHR platforms from a compliance/contracting perspective Compensation & Benefits Compensation is designed to attract an experienced healthcare attorney who wants to build something - not just advise from the sideline. Total package is competitive with Southern California in-house counsel benchmarks for multi-site healthcare platforms. Component Details Base Salary $175,000 - $220,000 annually Annual Incentive Up to 15% of base salary; tied to company performance and individual objectives Total Cash Target $201,250 - $253,000 at target incentive Health Benefits Medical, dental, and vision - employee and dependents Retirement 401(k) with employer match PTO Four weeks annually plus paid holidays Bar Dues & CLE Fully covered Professional Development Budget for conferences, memberships, and continuing legal education Location Southern California - hybrid-flexible with travel to clinic/ASC sites as needed Base salary placement within range is commensurate with experience, depth of healthcare regulatory expertise, and prior in-house versus law firm background. Benchmarking Context The range above reflects current market data for in-house healthcare counsel at California-based multi-site platforms in the $100M-$500M revenue tier. Key reference points: • NALP/Bloomberg Law 2024 in-house survey: Southern California healthcare counsel (5-10 YOE) median base of $185,000-$205,000 • Radford/Aon benchmarks for multi-site specialty health: AGC/Senior Counsel roles at $170,000-$225,000 base depending on scope • Premium applies for candidates with AAAHC, ASC, or ophthalmology-specific experience - scarcity commands a range ceiling approach • Annual incentive at 10-15% is consistent with director/senior counsel peers in similarly sized healthcare platforms Reporting Structure & Team Reports to: General Counsel Key working relationships: Chief Operating Officer, Regional Directors, VP HR, ASC Directors, Practice Managers, and external counsel partners. This is currently a standalone AGC role. Acuity expects the legal function to grow with the platform; the AGC will help shape that growth, including future team structure, outside counsel strategy, and legal operations infrastructure. Acuity Eye Group | Confidential | Job Profile v1.0 Salary Description $175,000 - $220,000