Healthcare Litigation Associate

Barnes-&-Thornburg-LL; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Barnes & Thornburg in Washington, DC is seeking a Healthcare Litigation Associate with 4-6 years of FCA experience to join the nationally recognized Healthcare Litigation Practice. The role involves representing healthcare providers and life sciences clients in False Claims Act litigation, government investigations, and complex regulatory matters.

You will manage a high-volume caseload, draft pleadings and memoranda, lead internal investigations, and collaborate with cross-functional teams

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and active DC Bar status or eligibility to waive in.
• 4–6 years of substantive False Claims Act litigation experience.
• Experience handling government investigations and regulatory enforcement matters.
• Familiarity with FCA, Anti-Kickback Statute and related healthcare laws.
• Strong research, writing, analytical and communication skills; past clerkship preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple matters independently in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Represent healthcare providers, hospitals, and life sciences clients in FCA litigation and investigations.
• Lead discovery, draft motions and briefs with persuasive writing.
• Lead internal investigations into allegations of healthcare fraud and regulatory noncompliance.
• Identify risks and provide strategic recommendations to advance client objectives.
• Manage high-volume caseloads with strict deadlines and client deliverables.
• Advise on compliance with False Claims Act and related healthcare regulatory frameworks.
• Collaborate with partners across Healthcare and Life Sciences practices.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Regulatory compliance

Case management

FCA litigation

Government investigations

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

DC Bar eligibility or admission

Job description

Barnes & Thornburg is seeking a highly qualified and experienced Healthcare Litigation Associate to join the firm’s nationally recognized Healthcare Litigation Practice in Washington, D.C. This position will work closely with attorneys advising healthcare and life sciences clients in connection with False Claims Act litigation, government investigations, healthcare fraud and abuse matters, regulatory enforcement actions, internal investigations, and complex compliance issues.

The ideal candidate will have 4 to 6 years of experience representing healthcare providers, life sciences companies, and other regulated entities in False Claims Act litigation, government investigations, enforcement proceedings, and regulatory matters. This role offers the opportunity to work directly with clients facing high-stakes scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and other federal and state agencies.

Responsibilities:

Represent healthcare providers, hospitals, health systems, laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare industry participants in government investigations, enforcement actions, and complex civil litigation before the DOJ, HHS-OIG, CMS, FDA, DEA, state attorneys general, and other federal and state agencies. Associate will be expected to:

• Play a key role in managing False Claims Act investigations and litigation from inception through resolution, including formulating case strategy, directing discovery, and coordinating with clients and government counsel with minimal partner oversight.

• Draft, revise, and finalize high-quality motions, briefs, memoranda, demand letters, and client correspondence with a focus on persuasive legal writing.

• Lead internal investigations involving allegations of healthcare fraud, billing and coding irregularities, regulatory noncompliance, and potential violations of federal and state healthcare laws, including conducting witness interviews, managing document review, and preparing investigation reports.

• Proactively identify legal and regulatory risks, anticipate case developments, and develop strategic recommendations to advance client objectives and mitigate exposure.

• Manage a high-volume caseload across multiple simultaneous matters, maintaining rigorous attention to deadlines, court schedules, and client deliverables while keeping cases on track.

• Advise clients on healthcare fraud and abuse laws, including the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, Civil Monetary Penalties Law, and related regulatory frameworks, providing practical, business-oriented guidance to navigate complex compliance environments.

• Collaborate with partners and colleagues across the firm’s Healthcare and Life Sciences practices to develop integrated legal strategies and support firm-wide client initiatives.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.

• Candidate must be active and in good standing with the DC Bar, or be eligible to waive in.

• 4 to 6 years of substantive False Claims Act litigation (including motion practice and discovery).

• Experience handling government investigations, regulatory enforcement matters, internal investigations, or complex litigation.

• Familiarity with healthcare fraud and abuse laws, including the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and related federal and state healthcare regulatory frameworks.

• Strong legal research, writing, analytical, and communication skills. A past judicial clerkship is preferred.

• Ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with clients and multidisciplinary legal teams.

• The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, possess strong client service skills, demonstrate sound judgment, and have the interpersonal skills necessary to thrive in a collaborative investigations and litigation practice.

We will not consider resumes submitted by external agencies or recruiters for this position. Recruiters and agencies will not be compensated for assisting Barnes & Thornburg LLP in recruiting for this position, regardless of whether such party has a recruiting contract with us.

Equal Employment and Opportunity Statement:

Barnes & Thornburg is committed to equal employment opportunity in both principle and as a matter of policy. We will recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate and provide benefits to all applicants and employees without regard to ancestry, sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, religious creed, mental and/or physical disability, medical condition, military and/or veteran’s status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies to all recruiting, hiring, promotions, upgrades, layoffs, compensation, benefits, terminations and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment. The firm complies fully with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity laws.