Hooper, Lundy & Bookman PC

Hooper Lundy & Bookman is dedicated to healthcare law. The firm represents providers and suppliers in all aspects of their business and regulatory transactions, litigation, and arbitration and dispute resolution needs. It also plays advocacy and public policy roles.

Health Care Trio

HLB was founded in 1987 by three attorneys with healthcare prowess. Patric Hooper began his career in California and became deputy attorney general before pivoting to healthcare litigation against state and federal governments. Robert Lundy and Lloyd Bookman also brought years of expertise in healthcare law to the firm. Notably, they had extensive experience representing healthcare providers, thereby rounding out the roles for the founding trio. From its humble beginnings in Los Angeles, the firm now helps clients in all 50 states and 2 U.S. territories via six offices coast-to-coast. 

A Focus on Medicine

HLB isn’t your typical healthcare law firm. It is the largest firm in the country that focuses only on healthcare providers and suppliers. This niche practice enables the firm to largely avoid conflicts of interest. The firm boasts impressive practice-related stats; for example, it has accumulated more years of attorney experience with Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement than any other firm in the country. The firm has also been involved in high-profile Stark and other types of fraud and abuse cases in the country. Although HLB has grown to be a national player, it has never wavered from its commitment to California, where it has represented clients in more than 50% of California hospital acquisitions in the past five years. In Washington, DC, the firm is staffed with healthcare policy experts who lobby on behalf of clients before Congress, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the FDA, and The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. 

In addition to working on client business, HLB attorneys have authored and co-authored numerous publications, including the CHA Hospital Compliance Manual, The CHA EMTALA Manual, The AHLA Monograph on the Stark Law, The Handbook of Academic Medicine, and Medical Records Privacy Under HIPAA. In the ever-changing world of healthcare law and policy, the firm ensures its clients are informed. The firm publishes a regular health law policy newsletter as well as posts client alerts online, including social media posts. During the coronavirus pandemic, HLB began sending the “Daily Digest”—a daily email apprising clients of new state and national COVID-19-related regulations.

Howdy, Partner!

HLB is focused on retaining talent—and means it! More than one-half of the firm’s lawyers have currently attained partner status. Although many of the firm’s attorneys are laterals, the firm is a certified provider of continuing legal education and provides in-house legal training on healthcare issues that is not available to the general bar.

• Hanlester Laboratories v. Shalala, 51 F.3d 1390 (9th Cir.). The court held that the “willful and knowing” requirements of the Medicare and Medicaid Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) require that the government prove a provider had specific intent to violate the law to establish liability. Congress amended the AKS as a result.
• Orthopaedic Hospital v. Belshe, 103 F.3d 1491 (9th Cir.). Groundbreaking litigation successfully challenging Medi-Cal rates for hospital outpatient service on behalf of California hospitals. Obtained $350 million retroactive payment plus a 43% prospective rate increase.

• Nationwide Healthcare; The Elite; USA California Healthcare; USA Massachusetts Healthcare
• Best Lawyers, 2024—Chambers
• Best Law Firms Tier 1 for Health Law nationally and in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Washington, DC, 2024—Best Lawyers
• Mansfield Rule Certified, 2024—Diversity Lab
• HLB attorneys perennially ranked among the top in their field by Bloomberg, Law360, Daily Journal, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers