Lauren M. Nelson

Lauren M. Nelson has 14-years of experience litigating across the country on behalf of health care providers and executives, including hospital systems, physicians, rehabilitation centers and other providers in complex medical malpractice actions, licensing matters, and other business disputes.  She specializes in a variety of cases, from catastrophic birth and spinal cord injuries to misdiagnoses and failures to treat.  Lauren also counsels and represents physicians and nurses before state and federal regulators and licensing boards in all manner of investigations, reviews, and inquiries.

In addition to her litigation practice, Lauren works closely with clients and stakeholders, advising them on emerging risk management, quality assurance, performance improvement, peer review, corporate practice issues, and compliance and regulatory matters, including allegations of fraud. She also helps providers and organizations with employment and related contracts. Lauren uses her background in information systems to counsel clients on health information privacy and security (HIPAA/HITECH) compliance and information technology issues.

Lauren is a frequent speaker to providers and risk managers on topics such as medical malpractice claims, ethical dilemmas, sexual harassment and boundaries in health care, the business of medicine, challenges in risk management, HIPAA and privacy issues, enforcement and investigations, and professionalism in health care.

Lauren earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in management information systems and minor in corporate communications at Baylor University, a Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law and a Master of Business Administration from Baylor University.

Lauren’s experience includes her routine representations of:

• Successfully defending physicians, hospitals and nurses in medical negligence cases.
• Advising health care clients on risk management, patient safety, quality assurance, fraud and abuse, and HIPAA/HITECH issues.
• Representing providers before the Texas Medical Board and Texas Board of Nursing.
• Providing counseling on employment contracts, business formation and mergers and acquisitions.
• Defending clients on general, premises and products liability claims.
• Assisting and overseeing hospital peer review investigations.
• Advising alcohol and substance abuse treatment centers and physician groups.

Presentations and Publications

• “Asset Protection in an Era of Enforcement,” Health Care Compliance Association, December 14, 2022
• “Preserving and Protecting Assets In Healthcare,” First Healthcare Compliance, October 2022
• AHLA’s Speaking of Health Law, “Top Ten 2021: Risk Management and Professional Liability,” podcast, AHLA, May 2021
• “Law Update-Impact of COVID-19 on Litigation and Risk Management,” GHSHRM, March 2021
• “Top Ten Issues in Health Law 2021: #10 Risk Management and Professional Liability,” AHLA, January 2021
• “Health Care Risk Mitigation in the Ever-Changing COVID Landscape,” AHLA, May 2020
• “COVID-19: Risk Mitigation Considerations and Strategies as Healthcare Providers Fully Re-Open,” Webinar, May 2020
• Co-author of Texas Medical Malpractice Defense textbook
• “What Would You Do? Handling Risk Management Conundrums,” GHSHRM
• “Ethics and Boundaries: Staying Inside the Lines,” Cenikor Foundation
• “Medicolegal Issues in Geriatric Neuro-Ophthalmology,” Houston Methodist Research Institute
• “Medical Malpractice: 10 Ways to Get Sued,” Baylor College of Medicine
• “The Business of Medicine,” Hendrick Medical Center
• “Legal Notes: New Challenges for Risk Management in a Rapidly Changing Industry,” NTSHRM
• “HIPAA: Privacy Challenges,” NTSHRM
• “Professionalism Meets Malpractice,” CHRISTUS Spohn Health System Corp.

Community Involvement

• RMC Alliance, Co-founder and Treasurer
• Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program

Memberships

• American Health Law Association
• Greater Houston Society for Healthcare Risk Management, President, and former Director, Chair of the Education Committee, and Chair of the Fundraising Committee
• American Society for Health Care Risk Management
• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
• Texas Bar Foundation Texas Bar Association Houston Bar Association

Distinctions

• Texas Super Lawyers^® “Rising Star,” 2012-2021
• Houston’s Top Lawyers, H Magazine, 2015-2019

Contact Lauren Nelson at 713.212.2620 or lnelson@spencerfane.com.