Associate General Counsel

About the role

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.

Position Summary

The Associate General Counsel 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

• 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 & 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.
• 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.