Associate General Counsel, Distinguished - Dispute Resolution

Overview

Your Role:
The Associate General Counsel, Dispute Resolution (AGC) will provide strategic advice and counsel, as well as legal representation on a broad range of health care disputes and issues, with a focus on defending payor-provider arbitrations, regulatory enforcement actions (including responding to subpoenas and investigations), and health care litigation. The AGC will report to the Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Litigation.

• Directly (first-chair) defend Blue Shield of California in arbitration and regulatory enforcement matters.
• Defend Blue Shield of California against arbitrations, regulatory enforcement matters, investigations, subpoena response, and litigation by supervising the work of outside legal counsel.
• In consultation with appropriate Law Department leadership, retain, oversee, and manage the work of outside counsel and ensure adherence to outside counsel budget.
• Recommend operational plans and strategies that directly impact the achievement of overall results for multiple departments and company-wide results, profitability, and/or public image of the organization.
• In consultation with Law Department leaders and the EVP/GC, establish legal policy and standards for the enterprise, and for the business and functional units served by the AGC.
• Manage the work of paralegals and litigation specialists assigned to your matters. Work collaboratively with other attorneys, paralegals, and litigation specialists. Provide guidance and training to Blue Shield of California’s highly capable and valued legal support professionals.
• Pursue litigation, arbitration, and recovery actions.
• Engage with government agencies in connection with subpoenas, enforcement actions, and investigatory demands. Partner with internal clients and paralegals to respond to discovery requests and investigatory demands.
• Provide timely, actionable advice and counsel to internal clients, enabling them to achieve their goals within a prudent range of legal risk.
• Other duties, as assigned.

• Requires a Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school; superior academic credentials from a top-tier law school strongly preferred. Must be an active member of the California Bar.
• Requires knowledge and recent experience providing actionable legal advice to business clients related to the Knox-Keene Act, other state and federal health plan laws, and member and provider contracts.
• Requires at least 8 years of litigation experience, including at least 5 years defending health plans, health insurers, or HMOs in litigation, arbitration, government investigations, subpoena responses, and other disputes.
• Requires recent trial and/or arbitration hearing experience.
• Requires self-motivation, enthusiasm, ethics, collaboration, and a strong work ethic; ability to partner and communicate effectively with employees at all levels.
• Requires strong written and oral communication skills, analytical skills, intellectual curiosity, and ability to communicate complex matters to business clients at all levels.
• Requires experience with contracted and non-contracted provider payment disputes. Combination of law firm and in-house experience is preferred.

About Blue Shield of California:
As of January 2025, Blue Shield of California became a subsidiary of Ascendiun. Ascendiun is a nonprofit corporate entity that is the parent to a family of organizations including Blue Shield of California and its subsidiary, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan;
Altais, a clinical services company; and Stellarus, a company designed to scale healthcare solutions. Together, these organizations are referred to as the Ascendiun Family of Companies.

Our mission is to create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable. We transform health care by lowering costs, improving quality, and enhancing member and physician experience. We foster an environment where all employees can thrive and contribute to address the needs of the communities we serve. We are committed to a supportive workplace that upholds our values and goals.

Blue Shield of California is recognized as a U.S. News Best Company to work for, a Deloitte U.S. Best Managed Company, and other accolades. We strive to make a positive impact across our industry and communities.

Our Values:
Honest
, Human
, Courageous
.

Our Workplace Model:
We balance purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, offering Hybrid (Default) and On-Site arrangements. We describe expectations for in-office presence and accommodations as needed.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
External hires must pass a background check/drug screen. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability status and other classifications protected by law. San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance considerations apply where relevant.