Waller Adds Two Veteran Healthcare Attorneys

Partners focus on provider transactions, operations and compliance matters.

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP has announced the addition of attorneys Andrea Rigali Cunha and Molly A. Huffman to the firm’s nationally recognized healthcare department. Cunha and Huffman will focus on healthcare transactions, operations and regulatory compliance matters involving investor-owned and not-for-profit healthcare providers and organizations.

“Andrea and Molly bring more than 30 years of combined experience that will benefit our healthcare clients immediately,” said Ken Marlow, chair of Waller’s 190-attorney Healthcare Department. “We are very excited to be joined by these talented attorneys who understand the challenges that providers face in an increasingly complex business and regulatory environment.”

Andrea Rigali Cunha joins Waller as a partner in the firm’s Austin, Texas office. Cunha is a key member of Waller’s multidisciplinary Healthcare Department, with particular emphasis focused on the challenges facing distressed hospitals. Cunha combines years working as a bankruptcy partner in a well-known Florida law firm with hands-on experience at a growing health system, where she took a lead role driving transformative acquisitions and advising on regulatory and operational matters. Cunha negotiated joint ventures for the development of an ambulatory surgery center and the acquisition of two hospitals, while also having responsibility for HIPAA and HITECH Act compliance, contract management, clinical laboratory compliance, CLIA licenses and Medicare and Medicaid provider numbers. She also led a rural healthcare provider through chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Earlier in her career, Cunha served as General Counsel at a tech startup that successfully monetized a mobile application. She was also the youngest partner ever elected at a Miami bankruptcy and restructuring boutique, where she operated and restructured business organizations in chapter 11 cases. Cunha is licensed in Florida and Texas, two states seeing particularly high rates of healthcare growth spending. Cunha earned her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law and her MBA from Stetson University in 2007. She earned her B.A. in 2004 from the University of Florida.

Molly A. Huffman joins Waller as a partner working remotely from Virginia. Fully integrated with Waller’s Healthcare Department, Huffman is a trusted advisor to hospitals, health systems, behavioral services providers and other healthcare organizations. Huffman has earned a national reputation for her work related to the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA). She has assisted many of the nation’s largest healthcare systems in the creation and development of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), and she continues to help providers expand their participation within various PSOs to foster environments of increased quality and improved patient safety. Additionally, Huffman provides advice regarding hospital safety, security, EMTALA, HIPAA, the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), reporting requirements, electronic health records, risk management, internal investigations, guardianships, judicial authorizations for treatment, scope of practice requirements and other regulatory compliance matters. She also advises healthcare organizations on medical staff issues ranging from privileging, peer review and disciplinary matters to the revision of medical staff bylaws and staff training. Additionally, Huffman is licensed in Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, and she advises healthcare clients operating throughout the United States. She earned her J.D. in 2002 from the University of Richmond School of Law. Huffman earned her B.A. in 1999 from the University of Virginia.

Media Contact: 
Sarah Brawner 
Phone: 615.610.0323
Email: sarah.brawner@finnpartners.com

About Waller

With more than 250 attorneys in Nashville, Austin, Birmingham, Chattanooga and Memphis, Waller assists clients in complex transactional, regulatory and litigation matters. The firm has built a national reputation for its work in the healthcare and financial services industries, and Waller boasts robust and growing practices in private equity and real estate. The firm also has extensive experience in retail and hospitality, technology, manufacturing and other industries. Waller has been named one of the top law firms for women by Working Mother magazine and has been named a Best Place to Work among top employers in Nashville and Birmingham. For more information, please visit www.wallerlaw.com.

Source: Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP

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