BakerHostetler Adds 32-Lawyer Group in Atlanta, Including 12 New Partners

ATLANTA, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- BakerHostetler has made a significant expansion to its Atlanta office with the addition of a 32-member team from McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. The incoming group adds 27 attorneys to BakerHostetler's national Healthcare Industry team and includes lawyers who concentrate on healthcare-related litigation, real estate, transactional, and regulatory matters. The team now totals more than 80 attorneys nationally. Also joining the Atlanta office from McKenna are five corporate attorneys.

The new Atlanta group comprises 12 partners, 5 counsel, and 15 associates.

BakerHostetler established its Atlanta office in 2014, when it combined with intellectual property boutique Woodcock Washburn. The firm's significant investment in Atlanta reflects the steady growth the city has experienced in recent years as a key hub for business, banking, finance, education, and healthcare.

"The 32 lawyers joining us present a great opportunity to further grow our national healthcare team while quickly expanding our presence in Atlanta and the Southeast," said BakerHostetler Chairman Steven Kestner. "Having a strong, diverse platform for healthcare and life sciences work is an important part of the firm's growth strategy. The fact that most of our new attorneys have been practicing together for many years and bring experience in healthcare-related litigation, corporate transactions, regulatory affairs, and real estate is an obvious plus. We're excited by their arrival."

Leading the incoming healthcare group is partner Jim Rawls, a noted litigator who is also recognized for his First Amendment work and media law experience. He joins Partners Christopher Swift, Scott McBride, and Noah Rosenberg as a co-leader of the national Healthcare team. Rosenberg, who joined the firm in April, is recognized as one of the country's preeminent managed care attorneys representing leading hospitals, health systems, physician groups, and employers. He has advised on the innovative development of more than 200 physician groups and integration models among hospitals, physicians, and purchasers of healthcare.

BakerHostetler's Healthcare team includes attorneys with multiple practice strengths impacting healthcare entities.  The group handles matters involving corporate transactions, managed care, federal and state regulatory compliance, False Claims Act defense, white collar representation, antitrust, labor and employment, data breach and compliance, litigation, licensing, business formation, tax, government policy, restructuring and bankruptcy, and intellectual property. The firm's healthcare clients include major hospitals and health systems, academic medical centers, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, long-term care facilities, home health, hospice and niche providers, as well as venture capital investors operating in the sector.

The healthcare practice also encompasses significant intellectual property, transactional, regulatory, and litigation work, with a large contingent of lawyers working out of the firm's Washington, D.C. office that includes significant antitrust and FDA regulatory assignments.  The firm's prominence in healthcare was given an added boost following last year's merger with Woodcock Washburn, which brought in a large number of lawyers experienced in sophisticated patent counsel and litigation work on behalf of leading life sciences, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies.

"BakerHostetler has built one of the largest and most versatile healthcare legal teams in the U.S.," said Swift. "We have the lawyers and the experience to match the challenges our clients face. From regulatory and policy changes to headline privacy incidents and market-altering collaborations – industry players demand strategic direction at every turn. Our lawyers help anticipate these challenges for our healthcare clients and we're proud to be an integral part of delivering the best in patient care."

BakerHostetler's healthcare industry stature is also reflected in the firm's annual Legislative Seminar, bringing together a bipartisan group of elected officials from both the U.S. Congress and Senate to discuss key legislative and policy issues coming out of the federal government, with a keen focus on national healthcare matters.  The Washington Times has called the program a "Who's Who in Politics." This year's session – the 26th annual event – will be held on Wednesday, June 10, at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, D.C. More information can be found here.  In concert with the seminar, BakerHostetler will host clients at a briefing by congressional staffers on the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in King v. Burwell and the potential impact on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The attorneys joining BakerHostetler's Atlanta office include:

Partners
Jim Rawls
S. Derek Bauer
David K. Brown (joined on May 1)
Clayton W. Coley (joined on May 7)
Charlotte A. Combre
Emily C. Crosby (joining June 5)
Amy E. Fouts
Joann Gallagher Jones
Wendy W. Markham
Charlene L. McGinty
Kathlynn Butler Polvino
Robert M. Rozier

Counsel
Vimala Devassy
Lynn S. Garson
Shannon A. Kidwell
Kristi A. Lange
Kimberly S. Ruark

Associates
Anna E. Altizer
Ian K. Byrnside
Christopher L. Cottrell Jr.
Payal P. Crame
Stephen M. Floyd
Gregory E. Fosheim
W. Christopher Hart
Laura M. Haskins
Josiah B. Heidt
Laurice Rutledge Lambert
Kristi K. North
Darrell J. Solomon
Erica Svoboda
Jennifer P. Whitton
Kristen McDermott Woodrum

About BakerHostetler

One of the nation's leading law firms, BakerHostetler helps clients around the world to address their most complex and critical business and regulatory issues. With five core national practice groups – business, employment, intellectual property, litigation, and tax – the firm has more than 900 lawyers located in 14 offices coast to coast. Recognized for its role as court-appointed counsel to the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) Trustee in the recovery of billions of dollars in principal lost in the Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Bernard L. Madoff, BakerHostetler is widely regarded as having one of the country's top 10 tax practices, a nationally recognized litigation practice, data privacy practice, and an industry-leading business practice. For more information, visit www.bakerlaw.com.

Contact:
Tracy Hager
303.764.4090
 [email protected]

SOURCE BakerHostetler

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