Heather joined the litigation and enforcement practice group in 2019. She is experienced in white collar defense, government and internal investigations, and complex civil litigation. Her matters have spanned many stages of the investigation and litigation process, including presenting to government authorities, drafting pleadings and dispositive motions, and conducting discovery (such as preparing for depositions and managing document reviews). Heather's clients range from individuals to Fortune 10 corporations, with a focus on entities within the health care industry.
Heather also maintains an active pro bono practice. As a former teacher, she takes an active role in educational advocacy for students of all ages and represents recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals in defending the DACA program.
Experience
- Manages response to government investigation of a pharmaceutical wholesaler covering a wide array of alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act.
- Advocates for animal drug wholesaler in a DOJ investigation concerning criminal violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.
- Litigated on behalf of medical device manufacturer in both federal district court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals concerning violations of the False Claims Act.
- Represents medical device companies in DOJ investigations concerning potential False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute violations.
- Defended former corporate officer of a public company in SEC and DOJ investigations related to accounting misstatements, resulting in the DOJ declining to file charges and the SEC downgrading its allegations from fraud to books and records violations.
- Advocated for individual in SEC inquiries into potential violations of the Securities Exchange Act and Investment Adviser's Act.
- Conducted internal investigations for multinational pharmaceutical company related to potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Pro Bono
- Serves as the co-lead for education law in the firm's Medical-Legal Clinic, in collaboration with DotHouse Health, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Volunteer Lawyers Project.
- Advocates for numerous beneficiaries of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals who have intervened in litigation challenging the policy in the Southern District of Texas.
- Represented an environmental advocacy organization as amicus curiae in state court appeal regarding land use rights.