Description

Who we are:
The California Dental Association is a membership organization that represents 27,000 of the state’s best and brightest dental professionals and champions the oral health of the communities they serve. As the largest state dental association in the U.S., CDA delivers remarkable advocacy initiatives, fierce protection, innovative education and expert guidance to our members. Founded in 1870, CDA has innovated and grown into a family of companies that includes the association, The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC), TDIC Insurance Solutions, Rotunda Partners and the CDA Foundation.

We’re a mission-driven organization that’s here to empower our members and support their practices, dental teams, profession and patients. By making today easier and tomorrow better for dentists, our employees make a meaningful and direct impact on the health of others.

At CDA we seek out, welcome and invest in talented individuals across unique specialties and prioritize diversity in our hiring practices. We know our employees are integral to our success, and we value their individual talents while encouraging a collaborative, inclusive, respectful and forward-thinking culture. We’re proud to be recognized as a Best Place to Work for factors like our people practices, work environment and trust in senior leaders.

If you’re excited to share your talents at a dynamic organization that’s leading the way in oral health, we invite you to apply to join us.

Job Overview:  

The Chief Legal Officer (CLO) is the senior legal executive for the enterprise and a key strategic partner to the CDA Executive Director, executive management team, and all departments, boards, councils and committees.  The CLO leads a shared services legal department providing comprehensive legal, governance, compliance, internal audit and risk management support for the California Dental Association (CDA), The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC), TDIC Insurance Solutions (TDICIS), the CDA Foundation and Rotunda Partners, LLC. The CLO works in a dynamic environment and excels at navigating complex and wide-ranging legal and business matters. 

The CLO also serves as the Chief Compliance Officer and directly oversees the governance department and the Council on Professionalism and Mediation. The CLO ensures that legal operations are efficient, responsive, and aligned with the organization’s mission to support the dental profession and the oral health of the public. 

The CLO is a member of the Executive Team. Executive Team members share responsibility for driving enterprise-wide strategy, shaping organizational culture, and leading with courage and clarity. Executives are expected to model our universal competencies of collaboration, service, and respect, build strong partnerships, champion inclusivity, and ensure focus on member and policyholder needs. Executives set clear strategic direction, inspire action and commitment, and empower high performing teams. Their decisions and behaviors consistently reflect our mission, vision and values, demonstrate our people-first culture and reinforce our keen focus on our members, policy holders and the communities they serve. 

Essential Functions – must be able to perform with or without a reasonable accommodation: 

Legal Strategy & Leadership 

• Serve as chief legal advisor to boards of directors, executive leadership, and senior management.
• Develop and execute legal strategies that support the enterprise’s business goals and manage legal risk, including opportunities to grow the business. 
• Communicate complex legal issues through both prepared and extemporaneous presentations, translating technical concepts into clear, practical terms and guidance for diverse audiences.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the shared services legal department, ensuring high-quality, timely, cost-effective legal support.
• Oversee enterprise-wide contract review process.
• Manage litigation, administrative actions, and regulatory inquiries across the enterprise, including engagement and management of outside counsel as needed.
• Support CDA’s public policy and advocacy work by providing legal strategy and analysis on proposed legislation, regulations and litigation.
• Oversee CDA’s Council on Professionalism and Mediation, including an alternative dispute resolution program for CDA members, and the member Code of Ethics.  
• Oversee legal operations, budgeting, and engagement of outside counsel. 
   

Corporate Governance 

• Provide guidance on governance-related matters to the boards of all entities, as well as CDA councils, committees and the House of Delegates.
• Ensure compliance with for-profit and non-profit corporation laws, insurance regulations, and real estate requirements.
• Draft, review, and maintain corporate governance documents (e.g., articles of incorporation, bylaws, general operating principles, board policies, charters, and minutes).
• Manage process for identification and handling of conflicts of interest for management and volunteer leadership.  
• Partner with the Chief People Officer on board education and ensure adherence to fiduciary duties and governance best practices. 
   

Regulatory & Compliance Oversight 

• Serve as Chief Compliance Officer, overseeing compliance programs, policies, training, reporting, and enforcement.
• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations affecting each entity, including:  
• Multi-state insurance regulatory requirements for TDIC and TDICIS
• Nonprofit compliance, charitable solicitation rules, and IRS regulations for the association and the foundation
• Real estate management law, lease requirements, and property operations
• Labor & employment laws, data privacy regulations, and state/federal statutory requirements
• Oversee the Special Investigations Unit and internal audit function for TDIC.
• Collaborate with finance and insurance operations to ensure timely regulatory filings, license renewals, and compliance audits.
• Oversee management and protection of all trademarks and copyrights for the enterprise.
• Ensures enterprise-wide compliance with antitrust laws.  
   

Risk Management 

• Identify and mitigate legal, financial, reputational, and operational risks across the enterprise.
• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer on corporate insurance programs, claims management, and enterprise risk processes.
• Advise on risk prevention strategies, internal controls, and policy development. 
   

Employment & HR Legal Support 

• Advise on employment law matters, including multi-state employment compliance, wage & hour issues, investigations, accommodations, and employee relations.
• Partner with HR on policy development, training, and dispute resolution. 
   

Non-Essential Functions 

• Performs other duties as assigned.  
   

Company Benefits:

At CDA, we offer a robust benefits package that enhances overall employee well-being and provides options to meet the needs of our diverse workforce. We listen to our employees on matters of wellness and devote time and resources to continuously evaluate our benefits to ensure we can best support their work-life goals.

• Remote and hybrid flexibility and technology to support remote work
• Generous time off program with executives starting at 27 days of PTO and 13 paid holidays (includes a floating holiday and winter closure)
• Highly competitive medical, dental and vision plans, including FSA and HSA account options
• 401(k) plans, with a generous match and safe harbor contributions upon eligibility
• Paid parental leave
• Wellness programs, including incentives and an In-Shape Family Fitness discount
• Opportunities for professional development, training and leadership skill-building
• Critical illness, accident, life, pet, short term and long-term disability insurance options
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for support navigating day-to-day challenges 

Requirements

Qualifications: 

Required:  

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.  
• Active State Bar of California license or eligibility for immediate in-house counsel registration.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible legal experience, including 5+ years in a senior leadership role.
• Experience advising boards of directors or similar governance bodies.
• Experience with nonprofit organizations, regulated industries, or multi-entity environments.
• Demonstrated ability to develop legal strategy and contribute to executive decision making.
• Proven experience leading and developing high performing teams. 

 
Preferred: 

• Experience with:
  • Professional or trade associations
  • Corporate governance (for profit and non-profit)
  • Insurance regulatory compliance (property & casualty and professional liability)
  • Knox-Keene Act and/or the Department of Managed Health Care
  • Commercial real estate and leasing
  • Employment law
  • Enterprise risk management
  • Intellectual property (trademarks, copyrights) 

Working Conditions:  Occasionally (1-33%)  -  Frequently (34-66%)  -  Constantly (67-100%) 

• While CDA is a remote-first work environment, this role is required to be within driving distance to the Sacramento office.  
• Remote-first work environment
  • The organization supports employees working primarily from remote locations.
  • This position requires inperson attendance for meetings at least twice per month. Additional travel may be needed for key business activities such as team offsites, board meetings, annual meetings and enterprisewide events. 
• Constantly reviewing and analyzing data on a computer screen and physical documents.
• Frequently maintains a stationary position.
• Occasionally moves around the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. 
• Occasionally travels within and outside the state of CA, as needed. 

Pay Information:
Executive - $325,000 - $391,000
Incentive Bonus Opportunity