Newark, NJ (February 23, 2015) – Epstein Becker Green (EBG) is pleased to announce that a group of 15 attorneys is joining the firm, expanding the firm’s presence in the Northeast corridor and adding further depth to its well-established Health Care and Life Sciences and Litigation practices. The team is led by Gary W. Herschman, Anthony Argiropoulos, Anjana D. Patel, and Jack Wenik, all of whom have become Members of the Firm.
Additionally, Thomas Kane, Andrew Kaplan, Laurajane Kastner, Theodora (Teddy) McCormick, and David Weiss will also be joining as Members of the Firm. John Barry, Christina Burke, Diana Fratto, Victoria Vaskov Sheridan, Erica Sibley, and Scheherazade (Scher) Wasty are joining as Associates. The attorneys will be primarily based in Newark, Princeton, and New York. The group joins from Sills Cummis & Gross.
“These fine lawyers have substantial reputations, both regionally and nationally, in several areas where additional capacity is welcome,” said Mark E. Lutes, Chair of Epstein Becker Green. “The health care industry is in the throes of both consolidation and the birth of new forms of delivery and finance. We are quite pleased to welcome these exceptional attorneys to the firm during a critical time for our health care industry clients.”
“Epstein Becker Green’s deliberate focus on, and commitment to, the health care industry as well as the synergies between our practices initially drew us to the firm,” said Mr. Herschman. “Hospital systems and other health care providers and businesses are wrestling with a number of pressing matters, including intense consolidation, new reimbursement models, and increased government regulation and enforcement. The firm’s broad platform and network of resources will allow us to deliver a wider range of legal and strategic services to a very sophisticated client base.”
“This group includes prominent health care attorneys with various areas of focus, ranging from complex litigation to sophisticated transactions, to government investigations and regulatory and compliance matters. Our deep knowledge of, and dealings with, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and our work on new payment methodologies will equip these lawyers with the additional resources that their clients seek,” said George Breen, Chair of the firm's National Health Care and Life Sciences Practice Steering Committee.
The firm also recently announced that Robert F. Atlas, a health care strategy, management, and policy executive consultant, joined the firm’s affiliate consultancy, EBG Advisors, Inc., as President. The firm’s affiliation with EBG Advisors enables EBG to more effectively provide cross-disciplinary solutions to clients within the health care industry, often outside the normal range of options that routinely would be considered by many other law firms. In a nod to this type of innovation, the firm’s Health Care and Life Sciences practice was named a “Health Care Practice Group of the Year” for 2014 by Law360.
Mr. Herschman and Ms. Patel, both strong and effective healthcare transaction and regulatory lawyers, are well positioned to assist clients through a period of increased consolidation activity within the industry. Mr. Herschman, who served as Co-Chair of his prior firm’s health care practice group, represents health care providers with respect to strategic positioning in the changing, reform-driven health care marketplace. This includes advising clients in regard to consolidations, affiliations, and mergers and acquisitions, as well as joint ventures, clinical integrations, transactions relating to ACOs, and population health. He also advises clients on regulatory and corporate compliance. In addition, Mr. Herschman serves as Vice Chair of the Fraud & Abuse Practice Group of the American Health Lawyers Association and as a member of the Editorial Boards of both Bloomberg BNA’s Health Law Reporter and Health Care Compliance Association’s Compliance Today. Over the past decade, Mr. Herschman has been routinely ranked in Chambers USA and included in The Best Lawyers in America and on Super Lawyers lists.
Ms. Patel, who served as Co-Chair of her prior firm’s health care practice group, represents a diverse group of health care providers in a variety of complex business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, joint ventures, ACOs, and other affiliations designed to better position providers, as a result of health reform. She also provides guidance and compliance strategies with respect to health care regulatory issues. Ms. Patel serves as Vice Chair of the American Health Lawyers Association’s Post-Acute and Long-Term Services Practice Group. She has received numerous recognitions from third parties, such as Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers. Ms. Patel was the recipient of the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey, Inc.’s Professional Achievement Award in 2007.
Mr. Argiropoulos, served as Co-Chair of his prior firm’s litigation department. He has achieved significant results for a broad range of health care clients, publicly held companies, and other large business enterprises in high-stakes commercial and antitrust litigation, as well as dispute avoidance and resolution. He has represented clients regionally and throughout the United States in both federal and state courts. His experience includes numerous bench trials, jury trials and arbitrations in major complex and sophisticated matters. Earlier in his career, Mr. Argiropoulos was selected to the “Rising Stars” list by New Jersey Law Journal in the areas of Health Care and Business Litigation, and more recently, he has been included in The Best Lawyers in America.
Mr. Wenik, who served as Co-Chair of his prior firm’s health care government investigations practice group, has significant experience in health care investigations, litigation and regulatory matters. He has a deep knowledge of Medicaid and Medicare coding and billing issues as well as clinical issues relating to medical necessity. He has effectively represented health care systems, facilities, physicians, and other providers in False Claims Act cases, criminal investigations, and other litigation. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney in Pennsylvania and New York, Mr. Wenik was responsible for the investigation and prosecution of complex fraud and business crimes, and served as a member of the Insurance Fraud Task Force that investigated alleged frauds perpetrated by and against health care practitioners and hospitals. Mr. Wenik has been ranked in Chambers USA and included in The Best Lawyers of America.
“This high-caliber group is a solid addition to our national health care practice and related practices. It also expands our footprint in New Jersey and New York, which is home to many health care systems, pharmaceutical companies, and other health care businesses,” said James Flynn, EBG’s General Counsel and the Managing Shareholder of its Newark office.
About Epstein Becker Green
Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., is a national law firm with a primary focus on health care and life sciences; employment, labor, and workforce management; and litigation and business disputes. Founded in 1973 as an industry-focused firm, Epstein Becker Green has decades of experience serving clients in health care, financial services, retail, hospitality, and technology, among other industries, representing entities from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Operating in locations throughout the United States and supporting domestic and multinational clients, the firm’s attorneys are committed to uncompromising client service and legal excellence. For more information, visit www.ebglaw.com.
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