Manatt Expands Life Sciences and Health Policy Offerings With Arrival of Leading Legal Advisory Team

Partners Pat Cerundolo, Erin Estey Hertzog and Ross Margulies bring experience helping clients navigate health care’s most complex legal, regulatory and legislative matters to Manatt’s growing life sciences and health care team

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, a multidisciplinary, integrated professional services firm, today announced the arrivals of Partners Pat Cerundolo (Boston), Erin Estey Hertzog (D.C.) and Ross Margulies (D.C.) to the Firm’s Health Care and Life Sciences industry practices. Their extensive experience supporting clients across the biopharmaceutical, medical device, and health care regulatory and technology spaces—paired with their sophisticated industry knowledge and broader health care business, policy and legal background—strengthens Manatt’s role as a trusted partner in addressing delivery system reform, improving access to care and promoting innovation.

“As we continue to broaden our nationwide offerings throughout the increasingly converging sectors in which we operate, the arrival of Pat, Erin and Ross builds on our rapidly expanding core capabilities for life sciences and other health care clients,” said Manatt CEO and Managing Partner Donna L. Wilson. “As a Firm with roots in California, we’re constantly looking to grow our presence in cities that are economic hotspots, including D.C. and Boston—where we’ve recently expanded our footprint—so the addition of this group builds on the existing synergies between our East and West Coast teams and further establishes Manatt as a national leader in health care business and transformation.”

As a team, Cerundolo, Hertzog and Margulies will leverage their combined knowledge of the health care regulatory landscape at both the national and state levels—as well as their working extensively with leading life sciences and health care companies—to help advise clients as they advance some of the most urgent and impactful policies and innovations across the health care spectrum.

PAT CERUNDOLO

Cerundolo focuses his advice on state laws, regulations and legislation impacting highly regulated clients across the health care and biopharmaceutical sectors, and has extensive experience partnering with biopharmaceutical manufacturers and industry trade associations in a variety of state legislative and regulatory initiatives. Having previously worked in the Office of the General Counsel at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance, Cerundolo brings an unmatched knowledge of the intricacies of state-level policymaking. As such, he has a deep understanding of the laws and policies that impact biopharmaceutical manufacturers, including drug coverage and reimbursement, state efforts at drug price controls and transparency, value-based arrangements and associated regulations that implicate access in the commercial and Medicaid markets.

ERIN ESTEY HERTZOG

Hertzog helps clients navigate complex Medicare and Medicaid coverage and payment issues for novel technologies, including by addressing legal and regulatory matters before the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Erin is also a leading authority on the 340B Drug Pricing Program and, since its enactment in 2022, has assisted clients with all elements of the drug price provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. Erin brings particular legal and policy knowledge specific to kidney disease, vaccines, rare diseases, and cell and gene therapy. Erin also works with clients to provide guidance surrounding delivery system reform and value-based payment models. As the former lead attorney for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), Hertzog helped inform health care transformation nationwide, advising on dozens of CMMI’s innovative payment and service-delivery models. She has since leveraged this experience to advise clients on the development and implementation of innovative payment arrangements, including in the context of CMMI’s payment models.

ROSS MARGULIES

Margulies focuses his practice on helping clients navigate complex federal and state legal and regulatory issues across the life sciences and broader health care industries, with a particular emphasis on Medicare and Medicaid law. Offering coverage and coding advice, compliance counseling, legislative and policy strategy and market access consulting, Margulies works with biopharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, digital health companies, providers, payers and other innovators seeking counsel on novel coverage, coding, reimbursement and compliance matters. He also has significant experience navigating the 340B Drug Pricing Program and the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program of the Inflation Reduction Act. Previously, Margulies served in roles at the Office of the General Counsel at HHS and at the Health Resources and Services Administration, as well as serving as a Health Policy Fellow in the office of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. In addition to his work at Manatt, Margulies provides regular pro bono advice to health care organizations servicing disadvantaged populations and teaches Medicare and Medicaid Law at Vanderbilt Law School.

“Now more than ever, we’re focused on strengthening our life sciences capabilities across the board to continue supporting clients throughout the entire life cycle of their business and legal needs,” said Manatt Health Leader Bill Bernstein. “Having recently welcomed digital health and life sciences Managing Directors Chrissy Farr, Tom Cassels, Shami Feinglass and Melindah Sharma to our already well‑established team, the addition of Pat, Erin and Ross further extends our all-encompassing work in the life sciences space and reflects our position as the go-to-market partner for clients seeking unmatched and integrated strategic solutions.”

“As a Firm that is deeply ingrained across all corners of the health care industry with a unique focus on public policy, Manatt offers the perfect platform for me to advise life sciences clients as they navigate the increasingly complex regulatory landscape to ensure patient access to their innovative medicines,” said Cerundolo.

“I’m excited to build on Manatt’s strong presence in the life sciences and value-based payment sectors and to leverage its integrated team of legal and consulting professionals as I work to support clients in all their legislative, regulatory, legal and policy needs,” said Hertzog.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work among such an accomplished team of lawyers and consultants, and I look forward to supporting the Firm’s efforts as a leader in the space as we help our clients transform the health care industry and accelerate outcomes for patients,” said Margulies.

Cerundolo, Hertzog and Margulies join the Firm’s roster of legal and consulting professionals who have also joined over the last year across core practices, including Corporate and Finance (Bill Broome); Digital and Technology (Tim Andrews and Lisa W. Rosaya); Entertainment (Binta Niambi Brown); Financial Services (Warren Biro, Haley Fiallo, Mike Katz, Jessica Sklute, Troy Zander); Health Care (Heide Bajnrauh, Axel Bernabe, Tom Cassels, Christina (Chrissy) Farr, Dr. Shamiram (Shami) Feinglass, Robert (Rob) Fraiman, Seth Frazier, Eric Gold, Kendall Hussey, Paul Irving, Dr. Tracy Johnson, Anna Lansky, John O’Brien, Thomas (Tom) Robertson, Lisa Sbrana, Melindah Sharma, Jerry Tichner and Mark Wietecha); and Litigation (Schuyler G. Carroll, Dylan Carson, Randy S. Grossman, Kareem A. Salem and Justin Wolosz).

Cerundolo earned his J.D. from Boston College Law School and his A.B. from Harvard College.

Hertzog earned her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, her M.P.H from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and her B.A. from Colby College.

Margulies earned his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, his M.P.H from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and his B.A. from McGill University.

About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is a leading professional services firm, providing integrated legal and consulting services to a global client base. With offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento and Silicon Valley), New York (New York City and Albany), Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston, the Firm represents sophisticated clients — including Fortune 500, middle-market and emerging companies — across a range of industry sectors such as health care; financial services; entertainment; digital and technology; and energy, environmental and real estate. For more information, visit www.manatt.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240813261962/en/