Principal Attorney – Pharmacy & Regulatory

At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, we are committed to paving the way for everyone to achieve their healthiest life. We are looking for dedicated and motivated individuals who share our vision of transforming healthcare. As a Blue Cross associate, you are joining a culture built on values of succeeding together, finding a better way, and doing the right thing.

About the role

In this role, you will provide strategic legal advice and counsel to internal business partners with respect to:

• Pharmacy contracting, operations, and initiatives
• Federal Employee Program and ancillary services
• Gender services
• Health outcomes
• Other legal matters as applicable and requested

You will deliver prospective and responsive legal advice to anticipate and guard against legal risks involving the company. You will also understand how the company is regulated and advise the business accordingly. Engage at a strategic level to help the company maximize the affordability of care within the appropriate legal confines. Keep apprised of new and existing case law, statutes, regulations, and regulatory guidance to provide relevant advice to impacted areas of the company.

Principal Attorneys must be able to support and advise on the most complex and important issues facing the company, work with minimal oversight, communicate updates and escalate issues efficiently at the highest levels of leadership, apply sound and experienced judgment, appropriately prioritize tasks to focus on the key risks to the business, collaborate on or lead work involving multiple stakeholders including establishing clear expectations and holding others accountable, communicate legal advice both tactfully and persuasively, bring significant expertise to bear on issues, and identify effective and creative solutions to solve legal problems.

We are the first in-house law department of any health care company in the United States to sign the well-being pledge for legal employers through the American Bar Association. We regularly and actively support attorneys and legal staff to take care of themselves and seek to improve their health and well-being. Some examples of this support include culture-building activities and regular education and communication on well-being, mental health, and substance use disorders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic legal advisor for pharmacy operations, contracting, and key business initiatives, helping leaders navigate complex legal and regulatory requirements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements that support business operations and strategic initiatives.
• Provide guidance on federal and state pharmacy laws, including Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and other evolving regulatory requirements that impact the business.
• Partner with stakeholders across pharmacy, health outcomes, gender services, ancillary services, and the Federal Employee Program (FEP) to identify risks and develop practical solutions.
• Assess legal and regulatory risk, conduct research, and deliver timely, business-focused counsel that supports informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with legal colleagues, business leaders, and outside counsel to resolve complex issues and support organizational priorities.
• Build relationships with internal clients, including senior management, and understand their business needs to proactively identify any legal impact of strategic decisions and advise accordingly.
• Evaluate, prioritize, and respond as appropriate to requests for legal advice from internal clients.
• Work with and manage outside counsel when necessary to facilitate the provision of legal advice to the company.
• Draft and review contracts, endorsements, and agreements.
• Gather relevant facts needed to evaluate legal risk.
• Review and interpret legal decisions and proposed and existing statutes and regulations.
• Conduct other legal research as needed to inform advice provided.
• Represent the company at regulatory, litigation, and other legal proceedings and administrative hearings as needed.
• Develop and review corporate governance and compliance procedures as needed.
• Collaborate with legal colleagues to help provide the best and most efficient legal advice to the company.
• Work to improve and document processes, policies, procedures, and workflows to support business continuity and efficiency.
• Provide reports and updates as needed to keep the company informed on the status of legal matters.
• Help direct legal support staff on legal accountabilities.
• Perform additional responsibilities consistent with the scope and level of the role, as assigned.

Requirements

• 7+ years of related attorney professional experience.
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Attorney License - State Bar Association.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Experience advising on pharmacy law and regulatory matters within a highly regulated health care environment.
• Ability to translate complex information into actionable messaging, actively listen to diverse perspectives, and drive alignment across cross-functional priorities.
• Ability to analyze complex challenges, evaluate tradeoffs, and collaborate with stakeholders to reach effective, lasting solutions.
• Ability to effectively organize work, balance shifting priorities, and manage time across multiple workstreams to meet commitments.

Schedule

Hybrid approach designed to balance flexibility with meaningful in-person connection and collaboration. Teams come together in the office two days each week, with at least one anchor day designated for team interaction. The rest of the week is remote.

Pay

Pay Range: $152,900.00 - $210,300.00 - $267,700.00 Annual. Pay is based on several factors which vary by position, including skills, ability, and knowledge the selected individual brings to the role.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• 401k
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)