Legal Counsel

Massachusetts Medical Society; Waltham (MA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks vacation

6 personal days

12 sick days

13 paid holidays

Medical and dental plans

401(k) with company match

Backup childcare assistance

Tuition assistance

Job summary

The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is seeking a Legal Counsel to provide strategic legal advice for governance, healthcare regulation, and commercial contracts. You will draft and negotiate a broad range of agreements, support CME activities, and liaison with committees and outside counsel.

The role supports leadership and staff across the organization, with hybrid work from Waltham and occasional travel. Strong negotiation, writing, and analytical skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and admission to practice in Massachusetts.
• 5–8 years of legal experience, preferably in large-firm, nonprofit, healthcare, corporate, or in-house practice.
• Demonstrated knowledge of nonprofit governance, healthcare law, commercial contracting, regulatory compliance, and corporate law.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, legal writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound legal judgment, and provide practical, business-oriented legal advice in a collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Provides legal counsel and practical business advice to organizational leadership and staff on healthcare, nonprofit governance, regulatory, corporate, employment, operational, and related legal matters.
• Drafts, reviews, negotiates, and interprets a broad range of commercial agreements, including technology contracts, software licenses, cloud services agreements, professional services agreements, sponsorship agreements, member benefit agreements, event agreements, vendor contracts, and other organizational contracts.
• Provides legal support to the Continuing Medical Education (CME) program by drafting and negotiating accreditation-related agreements, reviewing educational activities for legal and regulatory compliance, and advising on ACCME standards and related legal developments.
• Responds to, and provides information on, a broad range of medical-practice inquiries from MMS members.
• Supports the organization's medical malpractice tribunal responsibilities by advising on applicable legal requirements, improving administrative processes, and coordinating with outside counsel and the courts as appropriate.
• Manages relationships with outside counsel, including coordinating legal strategy, supervising legal work, reviewing invoices, and facilitating communications on assigned matters.
• Serves as legal advisor and staff liaison to assigned committees, task forces, and governance bodies, including preparing meeting materials, advising on governance and parliamentary matters, and supporting implementation of committee actions.
• Performs other responsibilities as assigned.

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Legal writing

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Juris Doctor from an accredited law school

Bar admission in Massachusetts

Job description

The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is the statewide professional association for physicians and medical students, supporting 23,000 members. We are dedicated to educating and advocating for the physicians of Massachusetts and patients locally and nationally. A leadership voice in health care, the MMS contributes physician and patient perspectives to influence health-related legislation at the state and federal levels, works in support of public health, provides expert advice on physician practice management, and addresses issues of physician well-being. Under the auspices of NEJM Group, the MMS extends our mission globally by advancing medical knowledge from research to patient care through the New England Journal of Medicine, NEJM Evidence, NEJM AI, NEJM Catalyst, NEJM Clinician, and through our accredited and comprehensive continuing medical education programs.

The Legal Counsel provides strategic legal advice and counsel to the Massachusetts Medical Society, its affiliated organizations, leadership, staff, and committees on a broad range of nonprofit governance, healthcare, regulatory, corporate, and operational matters. You will draft and negotiate agreements, manage legal risk, support organizational governance, and help ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws.

Work Location

This is a hybrid position – at home and in our Waltham office. During onboarding and training, more frequent in-office attendance may be required. Ongoing in-person attendance will be expected for certain meetings, projects, governance activities, and other business needs. Occasional travel within the Greater Boston area may be required.

Responsibilities

1. Provides legal counsel and practical business advice to organizational leadership, and staff on healthcare, nonprofit governance, regulatory, corporate, employment, operational, and related legal matters.
2. Drafts, reviews, negotiates, and interprets a broad range of commercial agreements, including technology contracts, software licenses, cloud services agreements, professional services agreements, sponsorship agreements, member benefit agreements, event agreements, vendor contracts, and other organizational contracts.
3. Provides legal support to the Continuing Medical Education (CME) program by drafting and negotiating accreditation-related agreements, reviewing educational activities for legal and regulatory compliance, and advising on ACCME standards and related legal developments.
4. Responds to, and provides information on, a broad range of medical-practice inquiries from MMS members.
5. Supports the organization's medical malpractice tribunal responsibilities by advising on applicable legal requirements, improving administrative processes, and coordinating with outside counsel and the courts as appropriate.
6. Manages relationships with outside counsel, including coordinating legal strategy, supervising legal work, reviewing invoices, and facilitating communications on assigned matters.
7. Serves as legal advisor and staff liaison to assigned committees, task forces, and governance bodies, including preparing meeting materials, advising on governance and parliamentary matters, and supporting implementation of committee actions.
8. Performs other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and admission to practice in Massachusetts.
• 5-8 years of legal experience, preferably including large-firm, nonprofit, healthcare, corporate, or in-house practice.
• Demonstrated knowledge of nonprofit governance, healthcare law, commercial contracting, regulatory compliance, and corporate law.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, legal writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound legal judgment, and provide practical, business-oriented legal advice in a collaborative environment.

Compensation

The target base pay for this role is between $140,000-$160,000. Salary is commensurate with skills, qualifications, and experience.

Benefits

• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 6 personal days
• 12 sick days
• 13 paid holidays
• medical and dental plans
• 401(k) plans with company match
• backup childcare assistance
• tuition assistance and more!

The MMS has earned praise as one of the Top Places to Work in Massachusetts by The Boston Globe for the past 16 years in a row! The Globe surveys employees regarding their opinions about company leadership, benefits, ethics, values and culture, and recognizes those companies who receive high marks from their employees.

The MMS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to providing opportunities to veterans and people with disabilities and a work environment that is welcoming to all.