Director, Sr Corporate Counsel

About the role

DaVita is seeking a Senior Corporate Counsel to join the Bat Cave Operations team. This role serves as a primary legal and operational advisor to designated Palmer teams and operating divisions. The Senior Corporate Counsel will lead the drafting and negotiation of complex physician and healthcare operational contracts with an emphasis on Medical Director Agreements (MDAs) and ensure adherence to healthcare regulatory frameworks. Location: Hybrid (2-3 days/week in-office at DaVita’s Team Music City office in Brentwood/Nashville, Tennessee or its corporate headquarters in Denver, Colorado).

Responsibilities

• Structure, draft, review, analyze, and negotiate a high volume of healthcare operational agreements, primarily Medical Director Agreements (MDAs), clinical coverage agreements, professional service contracts, amendments, and assignments.
• Review contract modifications and redlines, evaluate business exceptions, and ensure agreements align with fair market value (FMV) standards and company risk thresholds.
• Collaborate closely with division paralegals and paralegal managers to oversee end-to-end contracting workflows from intake and Landing Calls through execution and closeout.
• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to field operations leaders (DVPs, RODs, and Group Operations teams) on day-to-day healthcare, business, and operational legal matters.
• Deliver real-time counsel on patient care arrangements, physician relationship management, clinic governance, and operational policies.
• Partner with Compliance (Team Quest), Regulatory Counsel, and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) to review compliance inquiries, audit findings, and risk escalations.
• Assist operations in addressing and resolving contractual disputes, nephrologist practice conflicts, and operational challenges.
• Review and guide administrative letters, default notices, recoupments, and physician carve-out or non-compete interpretations.
• Participate in developing and refining standard contract templates, playbooks, fallback provisions, and best demonstrated practices (BDPs).
• Champion legal technology adoption (e.g., contract lifecycle management tools, Jarvis, Eagle) and process optimization initiatives.
• Support department-wide education programs, including training field leaders on legal, contracting, and compliance fundamentals (e.g., JLD Bootcamp).

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active state bar license in good standing (with eligibility for single-client in-house certification if applicable).
• Minimum of 6 years of legal experience, with substantive experience in healthcare law, commercial contracting, or corporate legal operations.
• Experience in a law firm representing healthcare clients or within an in-house corporate legal department.
• Solid foundational knowledge of healthcare fraud and abuse statutes (Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, False Claims Act).

Skills

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear, actionable business advice for operational leaders.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills with physician practices, outside counsel, and healthcare counterparties.
• High degree of emotional intelligence, adaptability, and sound business judgment in a fast-paced healthcare environment.
• Strong organizational and project management capabilities, with the ability to prioritize competing deadlines effectively.
• Demonstrated commitment to DaVita’s Core Values: Service Excellence, Integrity, Team, Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Fulfillment, and Fun.

Benefits

• A "community first, company second" culture based on Core Values that