Published on November 20, 2023
Read Time: 2 Minutes
Phelps Health Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Thad Leach was recognized by Missouri Lawyers Media for receiving a 2023 In-House Counsel Award. Leach was one of 20 honorees this year.
In less than 5 years, Thad Leach has built a legal department from the ground up for Phelps Health, an independent healthcare provider in south-central Missouri. His introduction to healthcare law came after he graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and before he entered Tulane University Law School.
For one year, Leach worked at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (now called CMS), a federal agency. “That short time created a consideration for me to practice healthcare law,” he says. “After I earned my JD from Tulane, I worked with large law firms and served clients like my current employer. I learned the business, operation and perspective of healthcare providers.”
In his current role with Phelps Health, Leach is responsible for the management and oversight of all compliance and legal affairs. He also supervises and coordinates with staff attorneys and outside counsel, as well as contributing to most strategic efforts of the organization. In the process, he is building the reputation and position of his department while helping all employees and leadership learn how to work with a functioning legal and compliance department.
“I share my experience and knowledge when relevant,” Leach says. “I hire the right people and manage them well. I make sure our team members are supported and appreciated. I honestly assess resources and unravel tricky legal puzzles. I do my best to demonstrate honesty and courage in all my communications. Our department is a service provider for the organization. We have to operate at a level that is as good as a law firm in the services we provide.”
Leach, his wife and their four children live on a farm near Cuba, Missouri. His volunteer work includes serving as a board member for Legal Services of Southern Missouri, which provides civil legal services to people in need and gives them access to justice.
“Healthcare is a complicated business, the law, regulation and compliance,” Leach says. “I appreciate Phelps Health’s commitment to compliance, investment in the future and serving patients in a cost-efficient way for a long time to come.”
