King & Spalding adds healthcare expertise to its Austin office with the addition of Kathy L. Poppitt as partner and Catherine M. Greaves as counsel. Poppitt and Greaves join King & Spalding from Cox Smith.

“King & Spalding is committed to growing its healthcare practice in Texas and across the country,” said Richard L. Shackelford, leader of King & Spalding’s healthcare practice group. “We are excited to add talent in Austin which expands our ability to serve all of the firm’s healthcare clients, especially in the State of Texas.”

Poppitt is a healthcare lawyer with more than 25 years’ experience focusing on healthcare regulatory law, healthcare litigation and administrative law. She counsels providers on operational issues such as joint ventures and other contracting, corporate compliance and governance, peer review and credentialing, and Medicare/Medicaid requirements and participation. She provides guidance to health insurance companies on compliance with Texas and federal marketplace requirements. She also represents providers in the resolution of state and federal enforcement actions and other issues involving regulatory agencies. Poppitt received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and her BBA degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

Greaves’ experience focuses primarily on compliance with state and federal laws related to healthcare. Greaves counsels clients regarding Medicare, Medicaid and other governmental programs, including coverage and reimbursement issues, government audits, internal investigations, and other compliance issues. She assists clients with joint ventures, acquisitions, mergers, and other complex provider relationships, licensure, and certification matters, as well as employment and recruitment arrangements. She also has experience advising clients on matters related to HIPAA and HITECH and federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse issues, including anti-kickback laws, physician self-referral prohibitions (Stark Law), false claims, and other sanction matters. Greaves received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and her BBA degree from Texas A&M University.

“With the addition of Kathy and Catherine, King & Spalding will now be able to provide clients with substantial State of Texas regulatory expertise and healthcare experience in the state’s capital,” said Mike Stenglein, managing partner of the firm’s Austin office. “Their practices dovetail perfectly with the firm’s life sciences and healthcare practices and the growing needs of the Austin and Houston offices.”

“Both Kathy and Catherine are well-known, respected lawyers among healthcare providers and King & Spalding clients in Austin and the Texas area,” said Gary W. Eiland, partner in the firm’s Houston office. “We are delighted to welcome Kathy and Catherine to the firm.”

Poppit said, “King & Spalding’s strong commitment to expanding its work in healthcare and life sciences was a strong attraction for both Catherine and me. We have known a number of King & Spalding lawyers for many years and are delighted to join their ranks in Austin.”

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