Jay Mitchell, general counsel, Jackson Healthcare, Atlanta. (Courtesy photo)

Jay Mitchell joined Jackson Healthcare late last year after two years at King & Spalding, 14 years at Piedmont Healthcare and seven years at HCA. Here is what he had to say:

Current title: General counsel, corporate secretary, Jackson Healthcare

College: Hampden-Sydney College, 1985

Law school: Mercer University Law School, 1988

Most recent lawyer positions: Senior counsel, King & Spalding; chief legal officer, Piedmont Healthcare; senior counsel, HCA.

Tell us a little bit about Jackson Healthcare.

Jackson and affiliates provide a variety  of services to the healthcare sector, including staffing, locum tenens (temporary doctors, nurses, et al), placement and technology. The organization is focused on enhancing the patient care experience through quality and efficiency. Our leaders demand professionalism and that flows across the company.

How big is your legal department?

We have four attorneys and two multitasking paralegals serving over 15 affiliate companies.

How did you come to get this position?

I had been told that the general counsel was retiring from the organization, and I was very familiar with the excellent reputation of the company and the senior executives. Having served as an in–house attorney for several years, I felt that my experience may be a good fit.

For what types of matters does the legal department hire outside counsel?

It can vary and includes everything from litigation to specific issue contracting to employment-related analysis.

What firms do you use and for what kinds of matters?

A mix of local and national firms, depending on issues and needs. We do most of the work internally, but also require outside support on a wide range of state and federal issues.

What role does a firm's diversity of lawyers (racial, gender, other) play in choosing outside counsel?

It is one of several important considerations and an area of future focus for me.

What challenge is more likely to occur when choosing outside counsel—finding the one lawyer/firm you feel comfortable hiring or choosing among equally qualified nominees?

Several factors must be considered: expertise, location, price, depth, etc. It is really a case-by-case review, but in the final analysis we want the individual attorney and the firm to become trusted partners on our team.

You have been working in in-house roles in health care since 1995. How can you characterize the changes in the legal issues in this field since then?

The regulations continue to grow more complex and in some areas the disagreements on paths forward have become so much more intense. Silver bullet solutions and quick fixes for decades-old challenges simply don't exist, and compromise will have to be more commonplace in order to legitimately address areas of concern. I have been very encouraged by the increasing emphasis on compliance functions and the elevation of compliance officers within health care and nonhealth care organizations. I see more of a genuine acceptance that the compliance function is a crucial asset to the day to day operations of these organizations. I have made it a priority not only to stay current on legal developments, but also to achieve and maintain compliance certifications in order to best serve my client.

What is the latest book you read?

I am currently reading a Benjamin Franklin biography by Walter Isaacson but admittedly making slow progress.

Please tell us about your family:

I have a wonderful and very patient wife and three hilarious and energetic sons; we are blessed that our children want to hang out with us on occasion. Also, our 2-year-old, 120-pound Labrador keeps us on our toes.