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In-House Counsel Virtual Training

Schedule

This training is designed to be highly interactive, encouraging participants to fully engage throughout the training.

Attendees will take part in group exercises, discussions, and problem-solving activities that promote collaboration, practical skill development, and the confidence to apply what they've learned in their daily work. 

Please Note: This training does not qualify for continuing education credits. All times are Eastern Standard time. 

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

11:00 AM - 11:15 AM

Welcome and Introductions

Julie Kass, Vice President and Chief Counsel Walmart Health & Wellness, Walmart Health & Wellness
Michelle Johnson-Tidjani, SEVP, Chief Administrative Officer, Commonspirit Health
Greg Matis, EVP/Chief Legal Officer, Intermountain Health

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Attendee Introductions

Julie Kass, Vice President and Chief Counsel Walmart Health & Wellness, Walmart Health & Wellness
Michelle Johnson-Tidjani, SEVP, Chief Administrative Officer, Commonspirit Health
Greg Matis, EVP/Chief Legal Officer, Intermountain Health

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM

In-House Counsel Lens 101

Jolee Bollinger, Deputy General Counsel, Sharp HealthCare
Marliena Davis, The Joint Commission
Denise Zamore, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Agilon Health

  • Define the in-house counsel role and how it differs from outside counsel, including internal processes, expectations, and day-to-day operational support
  • Cover core functional areas such as contracts, compliance, governance, employment/medical staff issues, and collaboration with business leaders
  • Navigate the contracts workflow—from intake and review to approval processes—while supporting broader organizational priorities like M&A, real estate, tax, and strategic initiatives
  • Manage and mitigate risk through proactive issue-spotting, effective communication with leadership, and coordinated approaches to litigation and outside counsel management
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM

Lunch Break

1:45 PM - 3:15 PM

Building Trust with Group Activity

Kristin Carter, Senior Counsel, Johns Hopkins Health System
Adam Kent, Head of Legal – Healthcare, Rula
Melinda Hatton, former General Counsel, American Hospital Association

3:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Break

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Governance Basics

Michelle Johnson-Tidjani (Moderator), SEVP, Chief Administrative Officer, Commonspirit Health
Rob Gerberry, Senior Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Summa Health System
Michael Peregrine, McDermott Will & Schulte LLP

Thursday, January 22, 2026

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Financial Basics for In-House Counsel

Greg Matis, EVP/Chief Legal Officer, Intermountain Health
Clay Ashdown, Chief Financial Officer, Intermountain Health

  • Understanding the key financial metrics and ratios that matter most for health systems and health plans
  • Linking legal work to financial impact across contracts, transactions, and operations
  • Managing legal budgets and costs in partnership with finance and outside counsel
  • Supporting major strategic and financial initiatives with informed, business-focused legal guidance
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

Managing Outside Counsel

Tom Donohoe, Hall Render
Tom Karnes, Chief Legal Officer, PeaceHealth

  • Effective methods of communication with outside counsel
  • Discussing and managing rates and spend
  • The value of outside counsel guidelines (formal and informal)
  • Feedback loops and performance improvement
  • Partnering on value-adds beyond the legal work (CLEs, KPI development, etc.)
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Compliance vs Legal

Nima Davis, Executive Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, Commonspirit Health
Howard Hacker, Legal, Compliance and Risk Leader, Walmart

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Lunch Break

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Executive Communication and the Client with Group Activity

Julie Kass, Vice President and Chief Counsel Walmart Health & Wellness, Walmart Health & Wellness
Brian Setzer, CEO, Newport Health Care

  • Tailoring communication for executive audiences by focusing on clarity, brevity, and business relevance
  • Framing legal issues as actionable options that support strategy, operations, and decision-making
  • Building trust and credibility through consistency, preparedness, and understanding leadership priorities
  • Navigating difficult conversations by conveying risk, uncertainty, and trade-offs in a way that enables confident decisions
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Break

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Legal Operations

Stacy Bratcher, Senior Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Charity Elmer, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, CoxHealth
Allison Petersen, General Counsel, Integris Health

Friday, January 23, 2026

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Day in the Life Hypothetical Introduction

Flo Di Benedetto(Moderator), Strategic leader, executive coach, business and legal consultant, General Counsel, Di Benedetto Solutions, Inc.
Julie Kass, Michelle Johnson-Tidjani, Greg Matis

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Group Activity

12:30 PM - 12:45 PM

Break

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Participant Open Discussion: Hypothetical and Solutions

Flo Di Benedetto(Moderator), Julie Kass, Michelle Johnson-Tidjani, Greg Matis, and Participants