Corporate Governance

Health care clients' governance functions are now under a microscope. The stakes are high and the legal issues complex and ever-changing. Responsive and knowledgeable counsel can be the crucial difference between having a well-organized, effective and legally compliance structure or being front page news. Davis Wright Tremaine's attorneys have extensive experience consulting and advising nonprofit and for-profit health care clients on the full range of compliance and policy matters affecting governing boards as well as standing and special committees.

The corporate governance services we provide to our health care clients include:

• Board governance processes, including counseling on board composition and functions, advising on fiduciary responsibility and board accountability, developing and restating bylaws and charters, and counseling on relationships between the board and senior management.
  
  
• Conflicts of interest, including developing policies and codes of conduct and assisting clients in complying with and addressing breaches of those policies and codes.
  
  
• Audit committees, including developing audit committee charters and advising clients on the composition and operation of their audit committees
  
  
• Ad hoc investigative committees, including advising on committee function and composition, establishing mechanisms to protect attorney-client communications and attorney work product, and organizing and conducting factual investigations.
  
  
• Exempt organization compliance, including advising with respect to obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status and counseling regarding potential excess benefit transactions under intermediate sanctions regulations.
  
  
• Regulated health care transactions, including providing board education on significant regulatory and enforcement initiatives and counseling regarding appropriate safeguards for board inquiry and action.
  

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