Law Firms and their Clients

A high percentage of health law attorneys work for law firms, at least in the beginning.  In fact, most health care organizations, hospitals, and other providers do not hire lawyers who lack prior law firm experience because these organizations lack the resources to train someone straight out of law school.  Thus, most health law students focus their job search on law firms that either specialize in health law, or have a health law practice. 

In choosing a law firm that is right for you, it is important to consider who you wish to represent, as different law firms represent different individuals and organizations.  In general, here are the kinds of clients law firms represent: 

Individuals

For example, firms may represent physicians and other healthcare professionals who are participating in mergers or joint ventures, need help structuring a private practice, are charged with professional malpractice or in a variety of other matters.  In addition, lawyers may represent plaintiffs and defendants involved in Personal Injury Litigation.  

Health Care Providers
Firms often handle various legal matters for healthcare providers like hospitals, nursing homes, and long term care facilities.  Attorneys at firms that represent health care providers may find themselves assisting clients with licensure applications, defending hospital policies, interpreting self-referral laws, determining tax liability and drafting disclosure agreements.  Common issues include regulatory matters, medical staff relations, provider termination proceedings, managed care and other third party contract issues, corporate restructurings, acquisitions and mergers, and compliance programs.   

Insurance Companies
Almost all litigation involving health law involves an insurance company at some level.  In particular, services that law firms provide to insurance companies include contractual issues, claim defense, and assistance with the many regulatory and compliance requirements inherent to the healthcare industry.  

Suppliers and Vendors
Suppliers, such as pharmaceutical companies and equipment manufacturers, as well as collaboratives such as group purchasing organizations and associations, play an important role in the delivery of health care services.

Law Firms with Large Health Law Practice Groups (those with Chicago offices are in bold)    

Arnstein Lehr
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz
Baker & McKenzie
Barnes & Thornburg
Bell, Boyd & Lloyd
Bradley Arant Rose & White
Chapman Cutler
Chuhak & Tecson
Cozen O'Connor
Crowell & Moring
Drinker Biddle Gardner Carton
Epstein Becker & Green
Foley & Lardner
Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith
Harris Kessler
Hinshaw Culbertson
Hogan Marren
Jones Day
Kamensky, Rubinstein, Hochman & Delott
Katten Muchin Rosenman
Lowis & Gellen 
Michael, Best & Friedrich
McDermott, Will & Emery
McGuire Woods 
Much Shelist
Ober Kaler
Phelps Dunbar
Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville
Reed Smith
Schottenstein Zox & Dunn

Shefsky Froelich
Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal
Ungaretti & Harris
Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz
Wildman Harrold Allen and Dixon
Wolf Block

Smaller Health Law Firms in Chicago

Please consult Loyola's Office of Career Services document, Chicago Area Law Firms with Four or More Attorneys, to research all Chicago area law firms and their practice areas, including those pertaining to health law. 

Government Positions

The government employs a large number of health lawyers at the federal, state and local level.  Law firms are particularly interested in attorneys with practical, government experience, so it is often a wise first step for law grads looking to join a firm later on.   

Federal Government
Here are just a few of the federal government agencies for whom health lawyers can work:

United States Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services is the U.S. government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.  There are a number of divisions within HHS that hire health care attorneys. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC is a division of Health and Human Services which responds to health emergencies.  It is dedicated to achieving true improvements in people's health.  The CDC conducts research and investigations in order to prevent and control all health threats, diseases, disabilities, injuries, and workplace hazards.  In 2000, the CDC Public Health Law Program was established to improve the health of the public through law.  One of the program's strategic goals is to develop legal preparedness of the public health system to address terrorism and other national public health priorities. 

Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency of the US department of HHS  and is responsible for regulating food, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, etc. As an administrative agency in the executive branch of the government, FDA derives all of its authority and jurisdiction from various acts of Congress. The main source of the FDA's authority is the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.  Regulatory enforcement is carried out by Consumer Safety Officers within the Office of Regulatory Affairs and criminal matters are handled by special agents within the Office of Criminal Investigations.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CMS is a division of Health and Human Services which ensures effective, up-to-date health care coverage, reimburses health care providers and promotes quality care for beneficiaries.  Their Region V headquarters are in Chicago.   

Office of the Inspector General
Under Public Law 95-452, the office of the Inspector General ("OIG") must protect the integrity of the Department of Health and Human Services programs and the health and welfare beneficiaries of those programs.  The OIG uses a 'nationwide network of audits, investigations, inspections and other mission-related functions performed by OIG components' to report program and management problems to Congress and the Secretary.  In addition, OIG makes recommendations to remedy these problems.

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorney  
Several DOJ divisions address health care issues, including the Antitrust, Civil, and Criminal Divisions, as well as the Office of Diversion Control.   

Antitrust Division  
The purpose of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is to promote and protect the competitive process, as well as our economy in general, through the enforcement of antitrust laws which apply to all industries, including health care.  In addition, this division provides guidance to businesses, like hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and helps them structure and organize their operations in accordance with the antitrust laws.  

Civil Division
The Civil Division is the largest litigating division within the Department of Justice, and it represents the United States, its federal agencies and their employees, the President, the Members of Congress, the federal judiciary, and the citizens of the United States.   Its cases often have significant domestic and foreign policy implications.  A health law student interested in medical malpractice litigation or consumer litigation concerning medical products should look further into this division.

Criminal Division
The Criminal Division develops and enforces all federal criminal laws that have not been specifically assigned to other divisions.  Attorneys in this division litigate important national cases, for example, cases involving medicare and Medicaid fraud.

Office of Diversion Control
The Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Office of Diversion Control is responsible for policing the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals and controlled chemicals.  To do so, this office coordinates investigations, drafts legislation and regulations, establishes national drug production quotas, controls the importation and exportation of drugs and chemicals, monitors and tracks the distribution of certain controlled substances, and participates in various other activities.  Some examples of Diversion cases include hysicians who sell prescriptions to drug dealers or abusers, pharmacists who falsify records and subsequently sell the drugs, employees who steal from inventory, executives who falsify orders to cover illicit sales, prescription forgers, and individuals who commit armed robbery of pharmacies and drug distributors.

Internal Revenue Service  
A bureau of the Department of the Treasury, the IRS is the US government agency that collects taxes and enforces the internal revenue laws. Since the majority of health care entities in the US are nonprofit, they are exempt from taxation and the IRS polices these organizations in regards to their tax exempt status. |

Labor Department
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The Department's purpose is "to foster, promote and develop the welfare of working people, to improve their working conditions, and to enhance their opportunities for profitable employment."

Searching  for Jobs in the U.S. Government 

To search for health law positions with the U.S. Federal Government, consider browsing the following websites:

Federal Government Internships
Federal Jobs Digest
FedWorld
Govtjobs.com 
USA Jobs  

State Government

The Office of the Illinois Attorney General 
The IAG's office has three different departments or bureaus that have responsibility for health care. 

The Health Care Bureau assists the consumers of Illinois in obtaining the care and benefits to which they are entitled.

The Health Care Mediation Bureay trains mediators in alternative dispute resolution and work with all parties involved in the dispute.  Once a mediation file is opened, the mediator contacts a consumer to settle the dispute.  

The Medicaid Fraud Bureau prosecutes criminal and civil actions involving provider fraud, nursing home resident abuse and neglect, and fraud in the administration of the Illinois Medicaid Program.

Illinois Department of Public Health 
The Illinois Department of Public Health promotes the health of the people of Illinois through the prevention and control of disease and injury. IDPH provides various services, including vaccinations, food, water and drug safety testing, hospital and nursing home licensure, infectious diseases control and the collection and evaluation of health statistics to develop prevention and regulatory programs.

Illinois Department of Insurance  
The Insurance Division protects the rights of Illinois citizens by advancing a competitive insurance market, regulating and monitoring the market, and by providing information and assistance to consumers.  More specifically, the Office of Consumer Health Insurance/Uninsured Ombudsman assists consumers in their health issues by explaining patients? rights, coverage provisions, and further handling citizens? problems and complaints.  Also, the Senior Health Insurance Program in the Insurance Division trains volunteers throughout the state to counsel seniors about Medicare and Medicaid supplement and long term insurance.

Local Government  

Chicago Department of Public Health  
The Chicago Department of Public Health works to improve its residents health by providing leadership on citywide public health issues, emphasizing public health's role in medicine and extending the presence of public health to more communities. 

In-House Counsel Positions

In-house lawyers work for a single company, entity or group of entities, providing advice on legal matters related to business activities. These matters range from government regulations to contracts with other companies to agreements with labor unions.  Typically, lawyers work for three or more years in law firms before being considered for in-house positions.  Here are a few examples of the different entities for which in-house health law attorneys may work:

Health Care Providers
Significant corporate, regulatory, transactional, patient care, reimbursement, labor and other legal matters are addressed by in-house counsel working in our nation's hospitals, long term care facilities and other patient care facilities.  To locate health care providers in the U.S., check out www.hospitalconnect.com.

Suppliers and Vendors
Companies that provide medical, surgical, and pharmaceutical products and services to health care providers have specific legal needs relating to the health care industry as well.  There are literally thousands of these companies, but here are some typical examples:

American Imaging Management
Apria
Baxter
Consorta, Inc.
Caremark, Inc.
Walgreens home health equipment

Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies
Drug and medical device companies, like those listed below, discover new medicines and technologies for health promotion and disease prevention. Their products range from nutritional items and pharmaceutical therapies to medical devices and laboratory diagnostics.

Abbott
Bristol-Meyers Squibb
Guidant
Johnson and Johnson
Medtronic
Novartis
Pfizer
Wyeth

 

Health Care Trade Associations
Health Care Trade Associations represent and serve as advocates and leaders for their respective members organizations.  Trade associations and professional organizations require a broad range of legal counsel and services including regulatory, tort reform, and contract issues including work in the legislative, executive, and administrative arenas.  Some examples include:

American College of Legal Medicine 
American Health Information Management Association 
American Medical Association 
American Hospital Association  
American Society of Health System Pharmacists  
Health Care Compliance Association
Healthcare Financial Management Association  
Healthcare Billing & Management Association 
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

Insurers or Payors
Individual, Family, Group, Short-term, Dental, Medicare, Student, Travel and International Health Insurance Companies hire lawyers to work on corporate, contractual, regulatory, reimbursement and litigation matters. Some examples of large health insurance companies include:

Aetna 
Anthem 
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Carefirst
Humana
Unicare
United Healthcare

Consulting Firms

Consulting firms research health care, assist academic medical centers, private medical practices, hospitals, ambulatory businesses and others to improve their finances and structure.  Healthcare consulting firms prefer to hire individuals with directly related, relevant healthcare experience, as well as business experience.  Some examples of consulting firms that have health care practices include:  

Cap Gemini 
Deloitte Consulting 
Ernst & Young 
First Chesapeake Group
Health Directions
Healthcare Strategies  
The Lewin Group 
KPMG 
Mercer
Murer Consultants, Inc.
PricewaterhouseCoopers 
ProNet Healthcare Strategies 
Research & Planning Consultants
The Stein Consultancy
Towers Perrin

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