Mr. Earl J. Barnes II is the corporate vice president and general counsel for Sentara Healthcare, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. Prior to joining Sentara, Mr. Barnes was the executive vice president and chief legal officer at AMITA Health. He has also served as senior vice president and general counsel at Advocate Health Care; senior vice president and general counsel at OhioHealth Corporation; and vice president and general counsel for Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rockford Health System, respectively.

Prior to his in-house work, Mr. Barnes was a partner in the Chicago office of Gardner Carton & Douglas, which is now Faegre Drinker. While in private practice, Mr. Barnes’ practice was focused on the general representation of health care and other business institutions. This included large health systems, insurance companies, managed care organizations, physician groups, home health agencies, long-term care and assisted living facilities, health maintenance organizations, and various other entities.

Mr. Barnes has written and spoken on issues involving corporate transactions and regulatory matters which impact businesses. He is a member of the Lake Forest College Board of Trustees and the Just the Beginning – A Pipeline Organization Board of Trustees.

Mr. Barnes is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. He received his undergraduate degree, majoring in history, from Lake Forest College. Mr. Barnes is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois and holds Corporate Counsel Registrant status in the Commonwealth of Virginia.