Three Health Care Counsel Join Ropes & Gray in Washington, D.C.

Attorneys Part of Team that Won Landmark 2019 Supreme Court Case on Medicare

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Feb 21, 2020, 13:58 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global law firm Ropes & Gray today announced the arrival of three health care lawyers – J. Harold Richards, Michael J. McDougall and Alex J. Talley – who join the firm in Washington, D.C. as counsel. Their arrival follows that of Stephanie Webster, one of the nation's top health care lawyers and appellate litigators, who recently joined the firm as a partner in Washington, D.C.

Harold, Michael and Alex represent leading hospitals and health systems and other health care clients in litigation challenging agency action on Medicaid, Medicare and other federal programs, with a focus on reimbursement. They were part of the team led by Stephanie Webster that obtained a landmark win before the U.S. Supreme Court in Allina Health Services.

"Harold, Michael and Alex bring a sophisticated understanding of the health care industry and a successful track record of representing clients in complex litigation and health care regulatory matters," said Timothy McCrystal, co-chair of the firm's health care practice.

"Stephanie, Harold, Michael and Alex immediately strengthen Ropes & Gray's established health care practice in Washington, D.C.," said Colleen Conry, managing partner of Ropes & Gray's Washington, D.C. office. "We are laser-focused on delivering the best counsel to clients. Their litigation, regulatory and administrative law experience is a perfect fit."

Harold, Michael and Alex join Ropes & Gray's world-renowned health care practice. In recognition of its stature, Ropes & Gray was named a Law360 Health Care "Group of the Year" in 2019.

About J. Harold Richards

Harold, who brings deep knowledge of health care payment systems, focuses his practice on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and compliance. He has extensive experience counseling hospital clients in litigation before the Provider Reimbursement Review Board and federal courts on issues including calculation of prospective payment system rates and graduate medical education costs. He also counsels hospital clients on complex regulatory and compliance issues and administrative and regulatory litigation.

About Michael J. McDougall

Michael has represented health care systems and hospitals in all phases of Medicare reimbursement litigation. He has counseled health plans in reimbursement and Medicare Advantage contract appeals before CMS Hearing Officers and managed Freedom of Information requests and appeals. His previous experience includes serving as an attorney advisor and Hearing Officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In this role he provided legal and technical support to the Provider Reimbursement Review Board, with a focus on the jurisdictional elements of PRRB appeals. As a Hearing Officer, he adjudicated Medicare Advantage and Part D plan contract appeals. Michael has deep insight on CMS and PRRB procedures and decision-making processes.

About Alex J. Talley

Alex counsels public and private health care organizations on reimbursement disputes and administrative law issues with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He has experience advising clients on risk mitigation strategies, administrative law issues and health policy analysis. Alex previously served as a legal fellow in the Office of General Counsel at Inova Health System, a network of hospitals, outpatient services and health care centers in northern Virginia.

About Ropes & Gray's Health Care Practice
Chambers & Partners describes Ropes & Gray's global health care practice as "prominent and well-established" and "a significant force due to its broad regulatory expertise which includes advising clients on litigation, transactional and policy matters." More than 70 attorneys in Ropes & Gray offices across the United States represent virtually every sector of the global health care industry. Clients benefit from the firm's deep experience in health care law and our intimate knowledge of clients' industries, which position our teams to preempt and resolve legal issues across the full range of relevant practices. In 2019, Law360 named our team a Health Care Practice Group of the Year and the Financial Times cited our health care work in its 2019 "Innovative Lawyers" report. Chambers & Partners, U.S. News & World Report and The Legal 500 also rank the practice and its attorneys highly.

About Ropes & Gray
Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm with approximately 1,400 lawyers and legal professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology and government. The firm has offices in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul, and has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including private equity, M&A, finance, asset management, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation and enforcement, data, and business restructuring.