Senior Counsel

About OpenNetworks OpenNetworks is a healthcare technology platform that connects providers and purchasers directly, transparently, and efficiently. It is a dynamic ecosystem - launching in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and rapidly expanding throughout the rest of Texas and the United States. We're seeking individuals who have frontline experience in healthcare organizations and contract negotiations between payers and providers. Most importantly, we want curious, forward-thinking professionals who see the positive potential in healthcare transformation. The Role OpenNetworks is looking for a high-capability, high-agility Senior Counsel to serve as a primary legal engine for our growth. You will be responsible for the end-to-end legal lifecycle of our commercial relationships. This is not a "maintenance" role; you will be building the templates, playbooks, and negotiation strategies that allow us to scale our provider networks and vendor ecosystem rapidly. The ideal candidate possesses the technical depth of an experienced healthcare associate combined with the practical, "get-to-yes" mindset required in a fast-paced startup environment. Core Responsibilities - Contract Negotiation & Velocity: Independently lead the drafting, review, and negotiation of complex healthcare agreements, with a heavy emphasis on provider, vendor, and third-party administrator (TPA) contracts. - Strategic Advisory: Provide practical, solution-oriented advice to the executive and business development teams to resolve legal bottlenecks without sacrificing speed. - Risk Assessment: Represent the legal function in internal and external meetings to assess risk profiles for new market entries and product expansions. - Cross-Functional Support: Act as a dedicated legal partner to business teams, ensuring that regulatory considerations are integrated into commercial strategies from the outset. Required Qualifications - Education & Licensure: J.D. from an accredited law school and an active license to practice law in the United States (in good standing). - Healthcare Expertise: Minimum of 3–5 years of legal experience specifically within the healthcare sector, with experience with provider contracting,HIPAA, and Business Associate Agreements. - Startup DNA: Demonstrated agility in managing competing priorities and the ability to pivot between deep legal research and high-level business summaries. - Communication: Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with a specific ability to translate complex legal risks into actionable business advice for non-legal stakeholders. - Precision: Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining a high bar for excellence in a fast-moving environment. Responsibilities - Serve as the primary legal engine to facilitate OpenNetworks' rapid growth as a healthcare technology platform. - Lead the end-to-end legal lifecycle of commercial relationships, building templates, playbooks, and negotiation strategies for scalability. - Independently draft, review, and negotiate complex healthcare agreements, focusing heavily on provider, vendor, and Third-Party Administrator (TPA) contracts. - Provide practical, solution-oriented advice to executive and business development teams to resolve legal bottlenecks quickly. - Act as a dedicated legal partner to business teams, ensuring regulatory considerations are integrated into commercial strategies from the outset. - Assess legal risk profiles for new market entries and product expansions. Experience - Minimum of 3–5 years of legal experience specifically within the healthcare sector. - Prior experience with provider contracting, HIPAA, and Business Associate Agreements. - Frontline experience in healthcare organizations and contract negotiations between payers and providers. - J.D. from an accredited law school and an active license to practice law in the U.S. (in good standing). Skills - Startup DNA: High-agili