Attorneys

Kate chairs the firm’s Health Care Practice Group. She serves as general and special counsel to hospitals, nursing homes, physician practices, dental practices, and individual practitioners. She advises her health care clients on corporate, contracting, regulatory, credentialing, employment and patient care issues. As a former medical malpractice defense lawyer, she also provides her clients with risk management advice and litigation oversight. She frequently lectures on health care issues.

Kate is also a member of the firm’s Government Relations Practice Group. She has had substantial experience in state and federal government, having served as Policy Director and Legal Counsel to Governor John Lynch, a Representative to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, and a Legislative Assistant in the United States Senate. Kate also served as Law Clerk to Chief Judge Shane Devine, United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire (1979-1981).

Sample Matters

Education

Honors

Two-time recipient (2003 and 1992) of the New Hampshire Bar Association’s President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Health care Section (editions 1995 through present). Listed in New Hampshire Magazine, "Best New Hampshire Lawyers,” Health care category. Listed in Business New Hampshire’s, "Leaders for the 21st Century”.

Memberships and Admissions

Member of the American Health Lawyers Association; Admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court, First Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

Community Involvement

Kate has been involved for many years in statewide and community service. She has served as legal counsel and policy director for Governor John Lynch, has been recently appointed to the American Lung Association of NH Leadership Board, and served on the Cedarcrest Center Advisory Board. She was appointed by Governor John Lynch to serve on the Citizens Health Initiative and by the N.H. Supreme Court to serve on its Access to Justice Commission. She is a Trustee of the Robert Frost Farm in Derry and an incorporator of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation (Manchester Region). She is serving her third term as Treasurer of the John Lynch for Governor Committee.

Kate was most recently among a select group of presenters at an educational program entitled Assessing Patient Capacity to Make Healthcare Decisions in which the learning objectives were to increase understanding of the clinical issues required to assess patient capacity; providing practical information for assessing patient capacity for health professionals and the organizations where they practice; providing guidance for health providers in different settings in determining patient decision-making capacity; explaining the linkage between assessing patient capacity for healthcare decisions and mental illness; and describing legal and other non-clinical issues that influence health care decision-making.

Kate’s past service includes: Chair of the N.H. Judicial Selection Commission; Chair of the New Hampshire Bar Association’s Committee on Cooperation with the Courts; Vice Chair of the N.H. Humanities Council; member of the N.H. Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct; Member of Vice President Gore’s Health Care Advisory Committee; Representative to N.H. House of Representatives; Delegate to N.H. Constitutional Convention; Legal Counsel to N.H. Democratic State Committee; Delegate to three Democratic National Conventions.