LOS ANGELES, CA — MAY 2, 2011 — Arent Fox announced today that Erin Muellenberg and Susanna Hathaway Murphy have joined its health care practice in Los Angeles as of counsel. Muellenberg has more than 20 years of experience in the health care field advising hospitals on medical staff, risk management, clinical quality, managed care, regulatory and other medico-legal matters. She has represented clients in litigation in all of those areas. Hathaway Murphy has over 15 years of experience as a regulatory and transactional health care attorney, most recently serving for the last 6 years as a senior legal advisor to L.A. Care Health Plan – the largest public agency health plan in the nation.

“At this time of great change in the industry, Erin and Susanna will be invaluable resources for clients as they prepare to navigate the complex new rules and regulations of health care reform. Erin brings a well rounded perspective, having served as in-house counsel to hospitals and other health care providers, as well as outside counsel in private practice,” said Robert C. O’Brien, managing partner of Arent Fox’s Los Angeles office. “Susanna, on the other hand, brings extensive and broad experience in both the health care provider and managed care industry sectors. They both exemplify the superb quality attorneys with which we are building our Los Angeles office.”

As in-house counsel to Tenet HealthCare System, Muellenberg provided legal advice to the Medical Affairs and Risk Management departments. She also established and grew the Managed Care Litigation Unit, which recovered $62 million in its first year of operation. As general counsel to Newport Beach Surgery Center, she advised the physician board on a strategic plan and a recruitment and retention program that has improved care and increased profits. She also assisted in negotiating significant increases in contracts with Blue Cross, Aetna and UHC/Health Net.

“Along with her great track record in litigation and administrative hearings, Erin has incredible strengths in medical staff matters including the critical issue of external peer reviews designed to ensure the highest quality of patient service,” said Lowell Brown, the senior member in the firm’s health care practice in Los Angeles. “She has managed more than 100 external peer reviews for hospitals throughout the country. Her experience will help clients implement programs to improve service and individual performance and take disciplinary action when necessary.”

Previously a partner at Reback, McAndrews, Kjar, Warford & Stockalper LLP, Muellenberg is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, where she is vice chair of the Enterprise Risk Management Task Force and a member of the Credentialing & Peer Review practice group. She obtained her JD magna cum laude from Western State College of Law, and is an AHA-Certified Professional Healthcare Risk Manager. Prior to receiving her law degree, Erin was Director of Medical Staff Services at St. Francis Medical Center.

Hathaway Murphy served as a senior legal advisor to LA Care Health Plan, advising organizational leadership on legal, business, strategic and policy matters, including Medi-Cal managed care, business arrangements, the healthcare safety net, public agency considerations, and legislative topics. Previously, she counseled management at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on a wide range of issues including regulatory compliance, privacy, licensing and certification, clinical trials and clinical affiliations, Institutional Review Board matters, reimbursement and more. She currently serves on the board of advisors of a health care technology company, Transplant Connect, Inc.

Also a registered nurse, Hathaway Murphy has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from The Johns Hopkins University where she won awards for her nursing and executive abilities. She also has a bachelor’s degree in business from Boston University and a JD from the University of Southern California Law School.

“Susanna is another great addition to our health care team. She has been involved in health care for more than two decades,” noted Brown. “Her knowledge and experience in both the managed care and provider sectors allows us to further expand the services we offer to our clients.”

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Arent Fox Health Care Practice:
Arent Fox’s healthcare practice is a national offering, with more than 30 health law professionals in the firm's three offices - Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC. The group represents health systems, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers and others doing business in the health care industry. The breadth of the group's capabilities and experience in transactions, compliance, investigations, litigation and operational issues allows clients to navigate an increasingly complex industry and challenging regulatory environment.

About Arent Fox:
Arent Fox LLP (www.arentfox.com), with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and New York, is a recognized leader in areas including government relations, intellectual property, real estate, telecommunications, health care, automotive, sports, white collar, international trade, bankruptcy, and complex litigation. With more than 350 lawyers nationwide, Arent Fox has extensive experience in corporate securities, financial restructuring, labor and employment, finance, tax, corporate compliance, and the global business market. The firm represents Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, trade associations, foreign governments and other entities.