DALLAS – Bracewell LLP announced today a significant expansion to its healthcare practice and market-leading litigation department. A seven-lawyer healthcare regulatory and litigation team, comprising three partners, two counsel and two associates, has joined the firm from Thompson & Knight LLP. The new Bracewell lawyers include partners Wilson Jones, Patrick Bredehoft and Andrew Cookingham; counsel Susan Murphy and Kim McCrea; and associates Brett Rector and Anna Wortham. Jones, who chaired Thompson & Knight’s healthcare practice group, will chair the healthcare regulatory and litigation practice at Bracewell.
The group, which includes three Chambers-ranked partners, is one of the most highly regarded health law teams in Texas, representing a broad range of healthcare providers, including hospital systems, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and medical practices and practice management entities. They bring to Bracewell significant experience on a broad range of regulatory, compliance and litigation matters.
“I am thrilled to welcome this outstanding team to the firm,” said Bracewell Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp. “This is a preeminent group in the healthcare space, and they will add tremendous depth to our healthcare and litigation practices.”
“Building a world-class healthcare practice and expanding our presence in the Dallas market have long been strategic priorities for the firm,” added K. Brock Bailey, managing partner of Bracewell’s Dallas office and a member of the firm’s management committee. “Our new colleagues bring extensive compliance, investigations and litigation experience that builds on the regulatory, finance and tax work we do for our current healthcare clients.”
“We look forward to working with our new colleagues at Bracewell and collaborating with lawyers throughout the firm in continuing to meet the needs of our healthcare clients,” said Jones.
Wilson Jones, Partner (Dallas) – Over his 28-year career, Jones has provided counsel on the full range of legal issues faced by clients in the healthcare, pharma and life sciences industry, including representing and advising clients in compliance and regulatory matters, health industry transactions, and investigation and enforcement actions. Jones also has extensive experience with internal investigations, complex regulatory and reimbursement analyses, overpayment disputes and negotiations with various governmental agencies and enforcement bodies. In addition, Jones represents healthcare clients on M&A transactions involving medical group practices, assisted living facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, joint ventures, management services organizations, physician practice management companies and various other healthcare entities. Jones earned his B.A., with honors, from Texas Tech University, and his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law. Wilson is the former chair of the Health Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and is ranked Band 1 for Texas Healthcare in Chambers USA (2021).
Patrick Bredehoft, Partner (Dallas) – Bredehoft maintains an active trial and arbitration practice, with a focus on healthcare and commercial disputes and qui tam litigation defense. He has secured significant settlements, judgments and awards for plaintiffs and defendants nationwide. His clients include hospital systems, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, physicians and long-term care facilities. Bredehoft has significant experience litigating healthcare disputes involving managed care arrangements, billing and reimbursement, qui tam and False Claims Act enforcement, and healthcare fraud and malpractice allegations. Bredehoft earned his B.S., with honors, from Colorado State University and his J.D., with honors, from The University of Texas School of Law. He is ranked as a leading lawyer in Texas Healthcare in Chambers USA (2021).
Andrew Cookingham, Partner (Dallas) – Cookingham represents hospitals, physician groups, air ambulance companies and other healthcare providers in regulatory matters and insurance disputes. His experience includes claims involving medical necessity denials, readmission denials, DRG downgrades, line item/charge audits and disallowances, and pay policies. Cookingham also represents providers in investigations involving government program payments and out-of-network providers in disputes involving the alleged failure to pay the usual and customary rate. He earned his B.S., with honors, from the University of Virginia, and his J.D., magna cum laude, from SMU Dedman School of Law. Cookingham is ranked as a leading lawyer in Texas Healthcare in Chambers USA (2021).
Susan Murphy, Counsel (Houston) – Murphy, who has over 30 years of healthcare regulatory experience, focuses on healthcare operational and transactional matters, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, practice management arrangements and managed care organizations. She has extensive experience advising clients on federal and state healthcare regulatory and compliance matters, including arrangements implicating the Anti-kickback Statute, the Stark Law, civil monetary penalties, and other state and federal laws and regulations. Murphy also advises clients on licensure and certification matters, as well as antitrust, insurance and healthcare financing issues. She holds a B.A. from Stanford University and J.D. from University of San Diego School of Law.
Kim McCrea, Counsel (Dallas) – McCrea focuses her practice on fraud and abuse analysis, contractual disputes with compliance implications, and internal and external investigations in the healthcare industry. She also has experience with general business and complex commercial litigation, securities litigation, and banking and fiduciary litigation. Prior to entering into private practice, she tried several jury trials for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. McCrea earned a B.B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin and a J.D., summa cum laude, from Texas Tech University School of Law.
Brett Rector, Associate (Dallas) – Rector represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex litigation matters, including healthcare, insurance and general commercial disputes. He also represents healthcare providers and manufacturers in government investigations and enforcement actions. He earned his B.A., summa cum laude, from The College of William & Mary and his J.D., with honors, from the University of Virginia School of Law. He served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Michael F. Urbanski in the US District Court of the Western District of Virginia, and as a judicial intern for the Honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn in the US District Court of the Northern District of Texas.
Anna Wortham, Associate (Dallas) – Wortham represents healthcare providers of all types, including hospital systems and physician groups, on litigation, regulatory and enforcement matters. She has significant experience litigating disputes involving managed care, billing and reimbursement, and complex commercial matters, such as contract, tort, employment and business disputes. Wortham also assists clients with internal investigations and represents clients in response to government inquiries and enforcement actions. She earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Brigham Young University, M.B.A. from Sungkyunkwan Graduate School of Business, and J.D., cum laude, from Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
