Industry focus
Whether my client is building a niche healthcare business or running multiple complex businesses and service lines under one roof, like today’s hospital and care delivery systems, my goal is to provide efficient legal solutions that advance business goals and help my clients focus on serving their patients, caregivers, and customers.
How I represent clients at Schwabe
I offer unique real-world experience to my work in representing healthcare systems, hospitals, medical groups, and providers. Prior to joining Schwabe, I was Chief Legal Officer for a hospital system in the Greater Seattle area and served as a member of the organization’s strategic leadership group. I also provided trusted legal counsel to the organization’s governing board and CEO and served as Compliance Officer and HIPAA Privacy Officer. Because of this, I’m able to deliver not just outstanding legal service, but also a deep, hands-on understanding of my client’s day-to-day operations, strategic transactions, and regulatory matters—as well as the growing challenges they face in serving patients and communities in today’s fluid, complex, and pandemic-tested care environment.
A trusted legal advisor for over 18 years, I began my career as an intern for a respected medical malpractice defense firm. Representing a range of business clients of all stages and sizes—my experience includes advising clients on business formation, entity structures, governance, insurance coverage, regulatory compliance, and privacy and data security matters.
A U.S. Navy veteran (having proudly served as an officer in the JAG Corps, with wartime deployments to both Iraq and the Persian Gulf), I bring a proactive, practical, and strategic focus—and a genial and approachable style—to my practice.
Experience
- Represented multi-hospital system in affiliation and membership substitution with community hospital.
- Represented multi-specialty physician clinic in merger with national physician network.
- Represented multi-hospital system in gaining approval of first-ever hospital transaction to be reviewed under Oregon’s broadest-in-the-nation healthcare market oversight program.
- Counseled owner of surgical practice on regulatory compliance in asset sale to a private equity-backed buyer.
- Advised hospitals and physician groups in responding to data breach incidents and government investigations.
- Assisted physician group in combination with another practice, including governance and master contracts for new practice entity.
- Counseled multiple physician groups on general governance, contracts, and regulatory compliance.
- Counseled group practice on regulatory compliance in the acquisition of a clinical lab.
- Negotiated and drafted hundreds of employment, services, and vendor agreements.
- Advised hospitals and public hospital districts and boards on governance and regulatory matters.
- Advised on state and federal licensing issues, medical staff matters, and compliance programs.
- In-house hospital system chief legal officer for five years, including COVID-19 pandemic.
Education
- University of Washington, Business School, Master of Business Administration (2018)
- Gonzaga University, Juris Doctor degree (2004)
- University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Arts (2000)
Admissions
- Oregon State Courts
- Washington State Courts
- U.S. District Court - District of Oregon
- U.S. District Court - Western District of Washington
Memberships
- International Association of Privacy Professionals– Certified Information Privacy Professional/US credential
- American Bar Association
- American Health Law Association (2017-present)
- Association of Corporate Counsel (2017-present)
- Health Care Compliance Association (2017-present)
- Washington State Society of Healthcare Attorneys (2018-present)
Services
Outside Interests
A family with strong PNW roots.
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