Epstein Becker Green Welcomes Richard W. Westling in Nashville and Washington, D.C.

Nashville, TN (June 1, 2017) – Epstein Becker Green (EBG) is pleased to announce that it has established a presence in Nashville with the addition of health care compliance and government enforcement defense lawyer Richard W. Westling, who will divide his time between the firm’s Nashville and Washington, DC, offices.

Mr. Westling brings almost 30 years of experience in diverse roles, including general counsel for a Medicare Advantage organization, white collar defense attorney, and federal prosecutor.  Mr. Westling spent more than eight years with the U.S. Department of Justice, serving as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (Health Care Fraud Coordinator and Asset Forfeiture Chief) in the New Orleans U.S. Attorney’s Office, and serving at Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, DC, as Special Assistant to the Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division and as a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division’s Criminal Section.

Most recently, he was a partner at a regional law firm located in Nashville, where he served on the firm’s Healthcare Compliance and Government Enforcement Defense Team. 

“We welcome the opportunity to improve the availability of our resources to our many clients in Nashville and throughout the state of Tennessee,” said Mark Lutes, Chair of EBG’s Board of Directors.  “Rich, and others who will join us as we grow in Nashville, will provide boots on the ground to facilitate the connection between clients in Tennessee with new developments in Washington, DC, and at CMS in Baltimore, two key locations where EBG already has offices.”

“Our sophisticated health care clients in Nashville will value our depth of experience and national resources delivered with a local touch,” added Lynn Shapiro Snyder, an EBG Board Member. 

“Joining Epstein Becker Green provides me with the opportunity to expand my practice as part of a highly respected national firm long considered a thought leader in health care,” said Mr. Westling. “During a time of change and consolidation in the industry, I look forward to helping clients find solutions armed with the resources that EBG can bring to the table through its deep health care industry knowledge and its national platform.”

Mr. Westling has been Certified in Healthcare Compliance by the Health Care Compliance Association and represents a variety of health care entities in enforcement and regulatory actions and regularly interacts with various health care regulatory agencies, including the Department of Justice; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). 

Mr. Westling counsels corporate clients on compliance practices and provides strategic advice and representation to clients facing government investigations involving health care, environmental, financial services, and tax matters.  With an eye toward getting back to business, Mr. Westling guides clients through the complex government investigations process, assisting with immediate crisis response and strategy development.  He has experience defending businesses and individuals in criminal health care fraud cases and in False Claims Act matters (including qui tam litigation) based on allegations of Stark/Anti-Kickback violations, billing and coding irregularities, and/or lack of medical necessity.  He is also well versed in issues relating to risk in mergers and acquisitions and appropriate due diligence needed for the structuring of corporate arrangements to be in compliance with fraud and abuse laws.

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.