It’s been a little over a year since Brian White joined UConn Health as its chief counsel. We thought it was an opportune time to ask the head of our legal team some questions about the new General Counsel’s Office and its potential benefits for employees and the institution as a whole.

First of all, please describe your role here and how the UConn Health legal team has changed over the past year or so?
General Counsel’s Office at UConn Health has just turned 1-year-old.  I was brought in to formally start the office that was previously supported by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).  The office is now fully staffed and positioned to provide in-house legal expertise on a proactive basis. Much of the funding for the office is coming from the offset reduction in utilization of outside counsel.

What are your office’s prime responsibilities?
The office is responsible for the coordination and management of all legal issues affecting UConn Health. The office advises the UConn Health Board of Directors along with UConn Health senior leadership and administrative units regarding a wide range of issues, including transaction matters, regulatory compliance, employment law, intellectual property, faculty, staff and student conduct, and governance issues. The office also works with the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office on litigation and other matters.

How are you connected (or not) to the AG’s office?
We work intimately with the AGO on multiple matters, but mostly on those matters that involve litigation against the health system.  We value our close relationship and are grateful to have an embedded AAG, Lynn Wittenbrink, located in our office.

How does this new legal team “configuration” benefit UConn Health as a whole?
The shift from exclusively relying on outside attorneys to having an established in-house legal counsel is one that takes time to fully appreciate, but is significant in its benefits.  For UConn Health, it means having advisors at your fingertip that are not charging you hourly to provide counsel.  Additionally, embedding in-house attorneys in planning and operations allows the organization to think and react proactively to potential legal and regulatory matters as it moves forward with implementing its strategic initiatives.  Leaders and frontline staff now have immediate access to prompt, reliable, and effective legal services.

You’ve been here almost a year now, what have you found to be the most challenging issue you’ve faced so far?
The most challenging issue that I’ve faced in this first year is shifting the culture around the proper use of legal services.  Upon my arrival, the health system tended to use legal services only after something went wrong – which is expected when only using costly outside counsel.  As we have taken on these issues over the past year, we have begun shifting the culture to engage our office early on rather than waiting for the issues to arise.  This proactive approach not only limits the legal and financial risk to the institution before any action is taken, but it also gives assurance to leadership in the decisions that they make.

How can the UConn Health community access your expertise?
Our offices are located on the ground floor in the Academic Building.  Our main number is x1114.  Reached 24/7 through the hospital operator.

---