OHSU Paid Former Counsel $1.8 Million in Severance
The health system agreed to the payment following the August 7, 2026, retirement of Alice Cuprill Comas.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Nursing Jobs
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OHSU reached a $1.8 million severance agreement with former general counsel Alice Cuprill Comas, who concluded a fourteen-year tenure with the institution this August. The health system finalized the agreement on August 7, 2026, including a requirement for positive employment characterizations.
Why it matters
The severance deal, which provides roughly two years of base pay, marks a significant leadership transition for the Portland-based health system. As the organization manages its legal office and executive restructuring, the agreement effectively closes potential liability through a mutual release of claims.
OHSU committed to a total of $1,812,240.36 in severance, excluding an additional $15,000 for attorneys' fees. The total payment structure covers a 24-month base pay equivalent, with the second of two installments due January 5, 2027.
The players
OHSU
A major academic health center and university based in Portland.
Alice Cuprill Comas
The former general counsel who served the institution from 2012 until 2026.
The details
Under the terms of the agreement signed August 7, 2026, OHSU will pay the severance in two installments while restricting internal and public messaging regarding the departure to pre-approved language. Alice Cuprill Comas, who began at the legal office in 2012 and served as general counsel since 2017, agreed to waive all potential legal claims against the health system. OHSU is obligated to provide positive characterizations of her work to future employers.
Timeline
2012: Alice Cuprill Comas joined the OHSU legal office.
2017: Alice Cuprill Comas became general counsel.
August 7, 2026: OHSU announced the retirement and signed the agreement.
August 17, 2026: The first severance payment installment was due.
January 5, 2027: The second severance payment installment is scheduled.
Beyond the Bridges
This agreement reflects a standard practice in executive transitions within Oregon’s public research institutions, often documented under the Oregon Public Records Law. It follows a established pattern of mutual releases used to resolve leadership exits while shielding institutions from future litigation.
Residents should monitor how this administrative shift impacts OHSU’s legal strategy and public policy engagement heading into 2027. The change marks the end of a long-standing tenure in the university's top legal post, affecting the institution's primary representation.
The takeaway
Large-scale executive severance packages are finalized legal instruments that dictate how a public organization discusses its former leaders. Readers should track upcoming executive appointments at OHSU to see how the new legal counsel influences the health system's approach to local public concerns.
What happens next
OHSU is scheduled to pay the second installment of the severance package on January 5, 2027.
Further reading
For more on local healthcare staffing and administration, visit Nursing Jobs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Willamette Week.
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