The hospital's general counsel is its chief lawyer on staff. Their general duties are to:
- Provide legal advice to the physicians on matters of medical liability and informed consent
- Ensure the hospital's corporate paperwork, such as its board minutes, are kept complete and up-to-date
- Accept service of documents when the hospital is sued, whether for malpractice or for general negligence (e.g., a slip and fall in the lobby)
- Hire and supervise outside counsel for specialized work, such as defending malpractice suits
- Representing physicians in insurance and disciplinary matters
At Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, House is responsible for half the work of the general counsel.
For part of Seasons 1 and 2, the general counsel for the hospital was Stacy Warner, portrayed by Sela Ward. However, others have also served in the role:
- In the episode Maternity, actor Cress Williams played the hospital's general counsel.
- In the episode Love Hurts, actor Matt Malloy played general counsel Aubrey Shifren.