Healthcare: Texas

THE FIRM Fulbright & Jaworski's Texas healthcare group is widely acknowledged as the premier team in the state. The group undertakes a broad range of work and regularly represents managed care organizations, hospitals, academic medical centers and medical device companies. Recently, the team has acted on a number of consolidation and reorganization matters and clients' compliance issues.

Sources say: "The knowledge base there is amazing and they really partner with us so we get our documents right. They are big on client service."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Jerry Bell handles a range of healthcare-related matters, including regulatory work, business transactions and disputes. According to his clients, "he's excellent; it's right that he's recognized as one of the best."

Sources say that Debbi Johnstone is "deservedly recognized as one of the top lawyers in the state." Johnstone's experience includes advising clients on federal and state government program anti-kickback, civil monetary penalty and related sanctions issues. 

Yvonne Karen Puig is a familiar figure for healthcare work in Texas. She advises on a wide spectrum of issues, with a focus on heathcare law regulatory matters.

THE FIRM Baker Hostetler's well-established healthcare practice continues to be one of the major players in the Texas market. The team advises clients across many health law areas, and has significant expertise in healthcare reform, as well as the corporate and litigation aspects of healthcare practice in the state. The team advised Heritage Physician Networks on the sale of a $19 million ownership interest in a Medicare Advantage Plan, and the related restructuring of a management agreement and provider agreement.

Sources say: "A great firm that always provides fast and accurate advice."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Donna Clark concentrates on regulatory healthcare matters, with a particular focus on compliance with referral laws. She is considered "very bright, and excellent on the technical front. She is enthusiastic and has a knack for digesting difficult information and putting it into an easy form for clients."

Susan Feigin Harris focuses on reimbursement issues affecting healthcare providers and suppliers, and is also highly regarded for her work with children's hospitals. Commentators say: "She is a superb lawyer who has an impressive depth of experience."

Robert Wolin's practice includes the business and regulatory aspects of healthcare work in Texas. Clients report that he is "one of the brightest and most competent people you will come across in this line of work." Wolin also receives praise for providing practical and balanced advice and understanding his clients' needs from a business perspective.

THE FIRM This firm acts for a range of healthcare providers over a broad spectrum of issues, including compliance and transactional work and fraud and abuse issues. The team recently advised Austin Pediatric Surgeons on its $10 million affiliation with Seton/Dell Hospital.

Sources say: "The team is very well known in the Texas healthcare market."

KEY INDIVIDUALS David Hilgers is acknowledged as a long-time player in the Texas healthcare market. Sources describe him as "a high-visibility lawyer, well respected and top-rated." Hilgers practices healthcare, corporate and administrative law and has a well-established profile that includes holding the chairmanship of the ABA's Health Law Section.

Joseph Geraci's practice encompasses regulatory compliance, licensing and governmental and private reimbursement matters.

Hal Katz's clients include physicians, diagnostic centers and healthcare industry businesses. Katz advises on a range of healthcare issues, including corporate matters, managed care, antitrust and workers’ compensation.

Seasoned practitioner Diane Carter has 20 years of experience in Texas healthcare work. Carter’s practice centers around advising a varied client base on transactional, regulatory and compliance matters.

THE FIRM King & Spalding is a stalwart of the Texas healthcare market. It acts for a range of clients, including institutional healthcare organizations and pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. The Texas team advises on everything from compliance and transactional matters, to government investigations and healthcare trademark and patent litigation. The team recently represented a Texas critical access hospital in a successful challenge to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services policy regarding the cost-based reimbursement of certified registered nurse anesthetists.

Sources say: "A big healthcare shop in Texas, they have a great reputation."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Gary Eiland is regarded as "a world-class healthcare lawyer with a wealth of experience." Eiland has a top-notch reputation in Texas and focuses on the special regulatory and organizational problems of healthcare providers and academic medical centers.

THE FIRM Davis & Wilkerson is a key player in the healthcare market. The team is instructed on a range of issues, including legislative matters, affiliation negotiations and assisting healthcare clients with day-to-day operational legal matters. The team is also highly regarded for its work with independent and rural hospitals in the state and has a number of small community hospitals as its clients. The group represented Smithville Regional Hospital in the transfer of its operations to the Seton Family of Hospitals.

Sources say: "A solid practice that has carved out a clear place in the market."

KEY INDIVIDUALS With over 30 years of experience in the sector and an excellent reputation, Kevin Reed is known as one of the best healthcare attorneys in the state. Observers describe him as "a knowledgeable and bright attorney who has built an excellent practice."

Jennifer Claymon focuses on health and employment law. She has experience over a range of issues, such as representing employers in investigations by the EEOC, the Texas Workforce Commission and the DOL, Wage & Hour Division.

THE FIRM This team handles transactional, regulatory, enforcement, litigation and insurance matters within the healthcare sector. It has been heavily involved in healthcare insurance reform, as well as other specialized areas like the issues surrounding technology and electronic health records. A notable highlight saw the team advised Humana in its $790 million acquisition of Concentra, an owner and operator of urgent care centers and worksite medical facilities.

Sources say: "An impressive practice."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Lisa Genecov focuses on the corporate aspects of healthcare work in Texas, including healthcare securities, financings and M&A. Genecov is considered "a well-established practitioner with an excellent reputation."

THE FIRM Strasburger & Price offers a full service from regulatory to transactional work. Its clients include physicians, hospitals, healthcare facilities and health systems. The team has recently handled clients’ issues surrounding healthcare reform, as well as litigation work.

Sources say: "A good-sized firm that really gets involved with your business." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Ivan Wood is particularly well known for his skill in corporate matters. His impressive client portfolio includes hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, home care providers and physicians.

William Darling has "a long-standing reputation" and "is very successful at what he does." Darling is best known for his work on the development and implementation of physician/hospital-related managed care organizations, where he has extensive experience.