Penn’s Deputy General Counsel and 1982 University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School graduate Lee Dobkin, who also serves as the chief counsel for Penn Medicine, is set to retire in June.
In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Dobkin’s office wrote that he will retire from the University and hospital on June 30. This marks the end of Dobkin’s lengthy career at Penn, which spans nearly three decades as both a professor and an administrator.
On Jan. 28, Penn released a job listing for chief counsel of Penn Med. The job application closes on Feb. 18.
“This role is critical in supporting Penn Medicine’s mission to advance knowledge and improve health through patient care, research, and the education of trainees in a culture that embraces inclusion, fosters innovation, stimulates critical thinking, supports lifelong learning, and sustains the legacy of excellence,” the posting read.
The listed annual salary range for the role is between $90,000-$450,000.
Dobkin’s successor will be required to “act as primary legal advisor on laws, regulations, litigation, risk management, contracts, compliance, governance issues and other legal matters.” The role also requires the individual to develop training programs on legal and compliance, work with government agencies on compliance and investigations, and oversee transactional and contractual matters.
Dobkin joined the Office of the General Counsel in March 1997 and was named chief counsel of Penn Medicine and deputy chief counsel of the University in September 2001. Before his employment at Penn, he was the chief of the Public Corruption and Labor Racketeering Section in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He has also taught law classes at Penn Carey Law.
Throughout Dobkin’s time as chief counsel, Penn Med has been involved in several notable lawsuits, including a recent lawsuit over a cancer misdiagnosis and a $183 million medical malpractice settlement in 2024 — the largest malpractice award in Pennsylvanian history.
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The OGC handles all of Penn Med’s legal matters “generated” by institutional activities, including “the schools, centers, departments, operating units and subsidiaries that comprise the University and its Health System,” according to its website.
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Staff reporter Addison Saji covers Penn Medicine and can be reached at saji@thedp.com At Penn, she studies English. Follow her on X at @addisonsaji.
