Holland & Knight has bolstered its nationally recognized healthcare practice with the addition of attorneys Summer Martin, Susan Banks and Rebecca Merrill as partners. They join the firm from Dentons, where the trio focused on healthcare regulatory matters and where Ms. Martin also led the U.S. healthcare mergers and acquisitions team. Ms. Martin and Ms. Merrill join the firm’s Atlanta office, and Ms. Banks joins the firm’s Denver office.

“Summer, Susan and Rebecca have impressive healthcare transactional and regulatory experience, and their talents align with our strategic plan for the firm’s healthcare practice,” said Brent Hill, leader of Holland & Knight’s Healthcare Section. “Holland & Knight’s focus on the middle market is a perfect match with the M&A strategies of the healthcare clients represented by Summer, Susan and Rebecca. Additionally, their collaborative personalities and values are a great fit with the culture of Holland & Knight, and we’re excited to have them on the team.”

Ms. Martin’s practice focuses on strategic advice, complex transactions and regulatory compliance counseling. She assists clients in the structuring of business ventures, including complex mergers and acquisitions and other affiliations and integration transactions, as well as with numerous regulatory, operational and fraud and abuse matters. Her depth of understanding of the healthcare sector and her ability to collaborate on strategic matters help clients achieve their goals amid a complex regulatory environment. Her clients have included not-for-profit and for-profit healthcare systems and providers, including hospitals, physicians and physician organizations, as well as managed care organizations, suppliers and manufacturers.

Ms. Banks advises hospitals, health systems and other healthcare providers and suppliers on the full range of Medicare and Medicaid compliance and reimbursement issues and helps clients navigate the complexities of healthcare delivery reform and operational challenges amid the ever-evolving federal regulatory environment. A core part of Ms. Banks’ practice involves counseling clients around potential federal healthcare program overpayment issues and fraud and abuse considerations, including collaboration on internal investigations, design and oversight of payment audits, and development of practical and proactive disclosure, refund and mitigation strategies. Ms. Banks’ deep knowledge of Medicare reimbursement systems, coverage policies and billing rules undergird her understanding and perspective on health system operations and the industry at large. Clients appreciate her versatile approach in partnering with them to develop actionable compliance strategies.

Ms. Merrill counsels clients on complex healthcare regulatory matters, including advising clients through internal and government directed investigations, with respect to false claims act matters, Medicare and Medicaid overpayments, reimbursement matters and strategies, enrollment, licensure and scope of practice issues, clinical research matters, and privacy, security and confidentiality matters. In addition to her in-depth regulatory and government enforcement experience, Ms. Merrill counsels a range of healthcare providers and suppliers with regard to complex transactions including acquisitions and roll-up strategies, dispositions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances and partnerships. Ms. Merrill’s skills as a strategic and efficient problem-solver are lauded by her clients, making her a go-to resource for efficient resolution of complex healthcare compliance and transactional matters.

“We were impressed with Holland & Knight’s commitment to growing its healthcare practice following its recent combination with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis and are excited about the large number of healthcare regulatory, transactional and litigation-focused practitioners with whom we can collaborate to support our clients’ matters,” Ms. Martin said. “In addition, the value that the firm places on diversity is commendable and equally attractive. We believe in staffing our matters with experienced and diverse attorneys, a goal that will be wholeheartedly supported and achievable at Holland & Knight.”

Both Ms. Martin and Ms. Merrill are recent past chairs of the State Bar of Georgia’s Health Law Section and both remain active members of the Section.

Ms. Martin received a J.D. degree from Emory University School of Law and M.B.A. and B.B.A. degrees from the University of Georgia. Ms. Banks received a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. degree from Northwestern University. Ms. Merrill received a J.D. degree from Suffolk University Law School, an M.H.A. degree from Pfeiffer University and a B.A. degree from North Carolina State University.

Holland & Knight’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry Group, a cross-disciplinary team of more than 400 experienced attorneys, is the largest healthcare law practice in the United States, according to data submitted to Modern Healthcare. The firm’s healthcare attorneys advise on matters ranging from business, regulatory compliance and real estate to litigation, government enforcement and public policy issues. Holland & Knight is recognized by Chambers USA in its 2023 Healthcare: The Elite nationwide listing.