In-House Counsel

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced In-House Counsel to join our senior living organization and serve as a trusted legal partner to executive leadership, Human Resources, Operations, Finance, and our community leadership teams.

This is a hands-on legal role for an attorney who enjoys being close to the business and is equally comfortable advising leadership, managing risk, negotiating agreements, and representing the organization in legal proceedings.

The In-House Counsel will provide legal guidance across a broad range of matters, including employment law, senior living regulatory issues, contracts, resident-related matters, litigation and claims, corporate compliance, risk management, and outside counsel management.

REQUIRED LICENSING

Candidates must be active members in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association and be legally authorized to practice law and appear before courts in Washington State.

What You'll Do

· Serve as a legal advisor to executive leadership, Human Resources, Operations, Finance, and community leadership.

· Advise on employment-law matters including discipline, termination, wage and hour, leaves, accommodations, investigations, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and employee relations.

· Provide legal guidance regarding senior living regulatory and operational matters.

· Assist with resident-related legal matters, regulatory inquiries, complaints, investigations, and matters presenting organizational risk.

· Draft, review, and negotiate contracts and commercial agreements.

· Represent the organization directly in appropriate litigation and legal proceedings.

· Appear in Washington courts and administrative proceedings on behalf of the organization.

· Prepare and argue motions and participate in hearings, discovery, depositions, mediations, arbitrations, settlement conferences, and trials as appropriate.

· Prepare pleadings, briefs, discovery responses, declarations, and other legal documents.

· Manage litigation strategy, claims, subpoenas, demand letters, and preservation obligations.

· Evaluate legal exposure and provide recommendations regarding litigation strategy and settlement.

· Coordinate with insurance carriers and third-party administrators.

· Determine which legal matters can appropriately be handled internally and which require specialized outside counsel.

· Select and manage outside counsel, including legal strategy, budgets, staffing, and invoice review.

· Assist in developing policies, procedures, forms, and standardized legal documents.

· Monitor legal and regulatory developments and advise leadership regarding organizational impact.

· Provide legal training and education to leadership, Human Resources, and managers.

· Identify recurring legal risks and recommend preventive operational or policy improvements.

· Support corporate governance, compliance, and strategic organizational initiatives.

What We're Looking For - Required

· Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.

· Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible legal experience.

· Active membership in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association.

· Must be legally authorized and qualified to appear before courts in the State of Washington.

· Litigation experience and demonstrated ability to represent clients in court or other contested proceedings.

· Strong knowledge of employment law and general corporate or commercial legal matters.

· Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts.

· Experience managing litigation, claims, investigations, or outside counsel.

· Strong legal research, writing, negotiation, advocacy, and communication skills.

· Ability to explain complex legal issues clearly to business leaders and non-attorneys.

· Ability to provide practical legal recommendations while maintaining independent professional judgment.

· Ability to obtain and maintain admission to applicable federal courts as needed.

· High level of integrity, discretion, and confidentiality.

· Admission to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and/or Eastern District of Washington.

Preferred

· Senior living experience strongly preferred.

· Assisted living, long-term care, healthcare, housing, or another highly regulated service-industry background.

· Experience supporting a multi-location organization.

· Prior in-house counsel experience.

· Significant Washington employment-law experience.

· Experience advising Human Resources and Operations leadership.

· Experience managing outside counsel and legal expenditures.

· Experience handling litigation from initial claim through resolution.

Who Will Be Successful in This Role

The right candidate will be comfortable moving between strategic legal issues and day-to-day operational matters. You should be equally capable of sitting with executive leadership to discuss organizational risk, advising Human Resources on a difficult employment decision, negotiating a contract, responding to a regulatory issue, and appearing in court to advocate on behalf of the organization.

We are looking for an attorney who can identify risk while also answering the question: What is the best path forward?

Success in this position will include helping the organization:

· Address legal issues earlier.

· Make consistent and well-informed employment and operational decisions.

· Strengthen compliance and risk-management practices.

· Improve contract management.

· Effectively manage and directly handle appropriate litigation and claims.

· Make thoughtful decisions regarding the use of outside counsel.

· Reduce avoidable outside legal expense when matters can appropriately be handled internally.

SALARY RANGE

$185,000-$210,000 annually

• Actual compensation within the established range will be determined based on legal experience, litigation background, qualifications, industry experience, and other job-related considerations.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life AD&D, 401(K) with employer contribution, PTO

Location

Renton, Washington

This position supports corporate leadership and company communities. Travel to communities, courts, hearings, depositions, mediations, investigations, and other business-related proceedings may be required.

Join Our Team

This role offers an opportunity to help build an internal legal function that directly supports leadership, employees, operations, and the communities we serve. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape how legal services are delivered across the organization, personally handle appropriate legal matters, improve management of outside counsel, and help establish proactive and practical approaches to legal risk and compliance.

We are an equal opportunity employer and provide equal employment opportunities in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law.

Pay: $185,000.00 - $210,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person