Associate General Counsel

Associate General Counsel Acuity Eye Group | Southern California | Full-Time, Exempt 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 growth phase — 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. 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: • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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: • 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 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. 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.