Profile

Rick Barton

Of Counsel

I have specialized in Healthcare law since 1984. I have served as a Hearing Officer, Arbitrator and Mediator in many matters in that time. I am Certified as a Hearing Officer by the California Society for Healthcare Attorneys and have served on the Panel for the West Coast Resolution Center which is a part of the National Conflict Resolution Center. My early career was spent as a litigator representing healthcare systems, hospitals, long-term care facilities, physician groups, and individual providers in a wide variety of matters. These included medical malpractice claims, business disputes, fraud and abuse and licensing matters. As a litigator, I tried 60-70 cases before civil juries. I also served as counsel before arbitrators and administrative law judges bringing the total of cases that personally litigated to well over 100. In that time, I was called upon many times to serve as a Judge Pro Tem, court appointed mediator and arbitrator because of my reputation in the community for honesty, fairness and my significant trial experience. In the late 1990's, I was approached by a hospital client about serving as counsel for their medical staff. Since that time, I have served as medical staff counsel for hospitals throughout California in both a consulting and litigation role. I have completed 15-20 judicial review hearings as a litigator. As with arbitrations and mediations that grew out of my civil litigation experience, my work in medical staff matters resulted several years ago in requests to serve as a hearing officer. To date, I have served as a Hearing Officer in 5-7 matters. In my role as an Arbitrator, Mediator and Hearing Officer, my focus has always been on ensuring that all parties and their counsel receive a fair process with a clear understanding of my thinking on rulings or in assisting with efforts devoted to resolving a matter.

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