Carl Bergetz, JD, Named Chief Legal Officer of the Rush System

CHICAGO, July 26 -- Rush University Medical Center issued the following news release:

Carl Bergetz, JD, has been appointed chief legal officer of the Rush system. With this appointment, Bergetz also assumes the roles as senior vice president of legal affairs and general counsel for Rush University Medical Center.

"Carl is an accomplished attorney with a distinguished professional record," said Dr. Larry Goodman, CEO of the Rush system and Rush University Medical Center, who announced Bergetz's appointment today. "He has served Rush with distinction, partnering with others to significantly improve services and responsiveness of the legal affairs office over the past five years. Additionally, his passion for Rush, our plans and our values made him the obvious choice for this important position as chief legal officer."

The Rush system comprises Rush University Medical Center (Chicago), which includes Rush University and its four colleges; Rush Copley Medical Center (Aurora, Illinois) and Rush Oak Park Hospital (Oak Park, Illinois); and numerous outpatient care facilities.

"Carl has proven his ability to partner across Rush in ways that have meaningfully advanced the organization," said Michael Dandorph, president of the Rush system and Rush University Medical Center. "As we plan for the expansion of the Rush system, we will be exploring innovative ways to partner and integrate with others. Carl's experience, abilities and collaborative approach will undoubtedly position Rush for future success."

As general counsel, Bergetz is responsible the management and oversight of all legal services for Rush University Medical Center, directing the work of 20 staff members in the Office of Legal Affairs and the Office of Risk and Claims Management and managing outside counsel relationships. This work includes litigation and claims management, risk management, insurance program oversight, major transaction review, government and regulatory affairs, labor and employment law, higher education law, academic accreditation, clinical research issues, intellectual property and corporate organization and governance.

Bergetz also will provide advice and counsel to Rush system management and to the System Board of Directors concerning compliance, conflicts of interest, and other legal matters to assist the system in complying with applicable legal and ethical standards.

Bergetz previously has served Rush as acting general counsel and vice president of legal affairs since January 2016, succeeding Anne Murphy. Prior to that role, he was deputy general counsel and associate vice president for two years. He joined Rush as associate general counsel in 2012.

At Rush, Bergetz helped to integrate Rush Copley Medical Center fully with Rush University Medical Center, revising articles of incorporation and developing oversight for the new Rush system. He also restructured Rush's Office of Risk and Claims Management, recruiting new personnel to improve capacity and enhance diversity. In addition, Bergetz restructured Rush's technology transfer processes, establishing for-profit subsidiaries to commercialize internally developed technologies.

Before coming to Rush, Bergetz worked in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General for six years, first as assistant attorney general, then as chief of the special litigation bureau. In this latter role, he served as co-counsel in People of the State of Illinois v. Blagojevich, an action in the Illinois Supreme Court to have the former governor removed, and provided advice to state officials during subsequent impeachment proceedings. While with the attorney general's office, Bergetz also drafted and advocated for legislation including amendments to the Illinois False Claims Act in 2010 and 2012 and the Illinois Procurement Code, Grant Funds Recovery Act, and Ethics Act in 2009.

He was an associate at Robison, Curley and Clayton in Chicago from 2003 to 2006; Cooper and Kirkham in San Francisco, 2000-2003; and McDermott, Will and Emery in Chicago, 1996-1999.

He has authored numerous publications and presentations on law and policy and politics and popular culture.

Bergetz earned his law degree from University of Illinois College of Law, graduating magna cum laude, and was associate editor of the University of Illinois Law Review. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University, where he majored in economics and political science and was a disc jockey on campus station KZSU.