Arent Fox
ATTORNEY BIO
Ritu Kaur Cooper

Ritu Kaur Cooper
November 11, 2011
  • Associate
  • Washington, DC
202.857.6457
ritu.cooper@arentfox.com

Ritu is an associate in Arent Fox’s health care practice group. Her practice consists of representing health care providers, such as hospitals and health systems, in litigation, regulatory, and compliance matters with a particular focus on fraud and abuse, compliance, as well as internal and government investigations.

Client Work

Ritu has extensive experience in helping clients conduct internal investigations. She has particular experience in defending clients against civil and criminal investigations of alleged violations of the Medicare anti-kickback statute, the Stark Law, and the False Claims Act. Ritu also provides regulatory and compliance advice involving the Medicare fraud and abuse laws.

Previous Work

Prior to joining Arent Fox, Ritu was a health care associate at a large international law firm. While there, Ritu represented hospitals, health systems, and laboratories in government investigations. She also provided compliance and regulatory advice to hospitals, laboratories, and medical device companies with respect to the Medicare fraud an abuse laws.

In 2004, Ritu completed a one-year clerkship for the Honorable Paul W. Armstrong, of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Somerset County, Criminal Division. In the summer of 2001, she also clerked for the Honorable Morton I. Greenberg, US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Professional Activities

Ritu is an active member of the American Health Lawyers Association, National Bar Association, Washington Bar Association, and the South Asian Bar Association of Washington, DC.

Publications, Presentations and Recognitions

Ritu publishes frequently on issues pertaining to thehealth care industry and has recently published the following articles:

  • “The New Frontier: Compliance Issues Under theHealth Care Reform Law,” HCCA ComplianceToday, Vol. 12, No. 8, August 2010.
  • “Health Care Fraud and Abuse Laws,” Health Care Compliance Professional’s Manual, June 2010.
  • “False Claims Act and Qui Tam Suits,” Health Care Compliance Professional’s Manual, June 2010.
  • “Day in the Life – Health Care Law Associate,” Hire Ground: The Online Voice of Harvard LawSchool’s Office of Career Services, February 15, 2010.
  • “Health Care Headlines: The Road Ahead and Howto Stay on Course,” May 2009.
  • “OIG Open Letter Regarding the Self-DisclosureProtocol: Further Refinements,” HealthLawyers Weekly, April 17, 2009.
  • “Grassley Proposes Significant Changes to theFalse Claims Act,” December 2007.
  • “Responding To Data Security Breaches,” Privacy & Information Law Report,Vol. 8, Issue 11, December 2007.
  • “Responding to Data Security Breaches,” HCCA Compliance Today, Vol. 9, No. 11, November 2007.
  • “Summary of State Civil False Claims Laws,” The Health Care Compliance Professional’s Manual, October 2007.
  • “Treat Security Breaches with Caution,” HIT News (an American Health LawyersAssociation publication), Vol. 10, Issue 3, September 2007.

Additionally, Ritu’s speaking engagements include:

  • “Alphabet Soup of Health Law,” St. Louis University School of Law, March 1, 2012.
  • “From Backpacks to Briefcases,” St. Louis University School of Law, February 27, 2012.
  • “Law Students Know Thy Career Options,” Panelist, Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA), South Asian Bar Association of DC (SABA-DC) and APABA Education Fund (AEF), July 13, 2011.
  • “Health Law Panel,” Panelist, NSALSA Annual Conference: South Asians and the Law: Finding our Voice in the Nation's Capital, February 19, 2011.
  • “Intro to the Stark Law,” Syracuse University College of Law, November 18, 2010.
  • “Law Students Know Thy Career Options,” Panelist, APABA, SABA-DC and AEF, June 15, 2010.
  • “Regulatory Information for Physicians: Stark, Anti-Kickback, RAC Audits,” DePaul Health Center, April 15, 2010.
  • “Intro to Fraud & Abuse,” St. Louis University School of Law, January 15, 2010.
  • “Careers in Health Care,” St. Louis University School of Law, January 15, 2010.
  • “Fraud & Abuse Primer and Best Practices for RAC Audits,” Christian Hospital Grand Rounds, BJC Healthcare, January 15, 2010.
  • “Year in Review,” 12th Annual Health Care Compliance Forum: Diversified Risks, Organized Opposition, and Coordinated Responses, October 22-24, 2008.
  • “Increasing Diversity in the Legal Profession,“ Panelist, Silver Anniversary Reunion and Conference, Syracuse University College of Law, September 25, 2008.
  • “Practical Considerations and Challenges of Making a Voluntary Disclosure,” 11th Annual Health Care Compliance Forum: New Theories, New Resources, and New Obligations, October 24-26, 2007.
  • “Conversations with Alumni – Job Search Techniques,” Syracuse University College of Law, February 28, 2007.
  • “Managing Your Career – A Diversity Program,” Panelist, Syracuse University College of Law, September 16, 2005.

Ritu was invited to serve as the St. Louis University School of Law Center for Health Law Studies (“Center”) 2012 Practitioner-In-Residence. A Practitioner-In-Residence is a visiting health law attorney that is hosted by the Center at the School of Law. Past Practitioners-In-Residence have been health care partners at major law firms and well-respected amongst the health law community. Ritu is the first associate to serve in this capacity.

Life Beyond the Law

Ritu is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She also sits on the Board for Ten Thousand Villages of Alexandria, a fair trade organization. Ritu is fluent in Punjabi and Hindi.

Bar and Court Admissions

  • District of Columbia Bar
  • Missouri Bar
  • New Jersey Bar
  • Pennsylvania Bar
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Education

Saint Louis University
, LL.M
  ( health law )
Syracuse University College of Law
, JD
  ( cum laude )
The George Washington University
, BA
  ( with honors, psychology )

Practices

  • Health Care

Areas of Focus

  • Compliance Program Development & Counseling
  • Contract Negotiations
  • False Claims Act
  • Fraud & Abuse Compliance
  • Regulatory Due Diligence
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