Legal services a Franchise Law Lawyer in Albany Found 364

Rich is Of Counsel to our health and criminal law practice groups in the Albany office. In addition to focusing on Medicare, Medicaid and False Claims prosecutions and investigations, and corporate compliance, Rich works with the firm's white collar criminal defense attorneys where he represents individuals and entities in every stage of criminal and regulatory investigations and prosecutions.

Prior to joining our firm, Rich was a prosecutor in the New York State Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for twenty-seven years. He served as the Regional Director for the New York City Region for ten years beginning in 1998, overseeing a staff of one hundred lawyers, investigators and auditors. In August 2008, Rich became the Regional Director in the Albany Office of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Since 1984, he has investigated and prosecuted hundreds of Medicaid fraud cases and nursing home patient abuse cases.

Rich received the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit's Special Achievement Award in 1989 for his efforts in prosecuting the largest theft by a single Medicaid provider in United States history, which included convictions for arson, tax fraud and perjury. In 2001, he was awarded the Louis J. Lefkowitz Award for his prosecution of the owner of an Adult Day Care Center for a larceny which, once again, was the largest fraud by a single provider in the United States. Between 2005 and 2008, Rich conducted a comprehensive investigation of the Home Care industry, known as "Operation Home Alone," which resulted in over 100 criminal convictions, millions of dollars in restitution, and systematic changes in the Home Care industry. He received the Attorney General's Special Achievement Award for his efforts.

Between August 1992 and September 1993, Rich was appointed as Special Assistant to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York to assist on Medicaid fraud investigations. He has lectured at Health Care Fraud training seminars conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice and the F.B.I. He has been a frequent lecturer at the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units.

Between 1978 and 1984, Rich worked as a senior trial counsel for the New York State Grievance Committee, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. In this role, he investigated and prosecuted attorney misconduct in cases ranging from conversion of clients' funds, "black market" adoptions and ambulance chasing.

Rich was formerly an adjunct professor at St. John's University and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, teaching criminal law and evidence from 1999 to 2004. He also taught at the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at Cardozo School of Law.

Neil is Of Counsel with our Health Law practice and supervising partner of our Appeals, Constitutional Law and Casino & Gaming practices. He has represented numerous and varied clients in the health care industry and is currently General Counsel for the New York State Health Facilities Association where he focuses on issues involving complex Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues, regulatory compliance and Certificates of Need.

Neil has lectured widely on legal matters affecting the health care industry and on administrative law. He has served as Chair of the Administrative Law Committee of the New York State Bar Association and as Chair of the Legal Task Force of the American Health Care Association. A Fellow of the New York State Bar Foundation, Neil is a past President of the Albany County Bar Association. He has consistently been listed in Best Lawyers in America, having also earned their distinction of Lawyer of the Year in the area of Health Care law. Neil has also consistently been named to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list, a distinction earned by less than 5% of attorneys in the state.

Nora Baker received her Juris Doctor from Albany Law School with a concentration in Family Law and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2022. She was admitted to the NYS bar in January of 2023.

Ms. Baker graduated Magna Cum Laude from Merrimack College in 2018 receiving a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish and a double minor in Political Science and Pre-law. While attending Merrimack College, Nora studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina and later participated in a spiritual retreat to Ecuador to advance her Spanish speaking ability.

During her time at Albany Law School, Nora was active in the Anthony V. Cardona ‘70 Moot Court Program, both as a participant and student coach. She won both the Domenick L. Gabrielli Appellate Advocacy Competition and the Karen C. McGovern Senior Prize Trials Competition. Her team was noted as only the second team in recent history to win both competitions, and the first female team ever to do so.

In 2022, Ms. Baker was inducted into the Order of Barristers and awarded the Edward F. Layden, Esq. and the Kathryn I. Layden Award for her participation and contribution to the moot court program. She continues to show her support for the Moot Court Program through alumni judging opportunities.

After interning in various venues which include the Appellate Division Third Department for the Honorable Christine M. Clark and in the Domestic Violence Prosecution Clinic with the Albany County District Attorney's Office, Ms. Baker was the first recipient of the Family Law Fellowship established by the O'Brien & Associates Law Firm in 2021 and began her career with the Firm as a fellow in June of 2021.

We are extremely proud to welcome Nora Baker to our Firm as Associate Attorney.

Michael is a board certified commercial and consumer bankruptcy specialist (American Bankruptcy Board of Certification). He is admitted to the New York State Bar, as well as the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. His concentration of practice is in the representation of debtors and trustees in bankruptcy liquidations and reorganizations.

Michael is the recipient of the President's Award for Pro Bono services, New York State Bar Association (1989, 1993 and 2007), and the Distinguished Service Award from the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (1989). He is also a member of the Empire Counsel Group of the New York State Bar Association. Michael is also the recipient of the 2007 Distinguished Counsel Award from the United State District Court for the Northern District of New York and the Federal Bar Association for providing pro bono services. In 2021 Michael received The Legal Project's Champion Award for promoting the goal of access to justice for all. He has lectured frequently on bankruptcy issues for the New York State Bar Association, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, and other regional and national bar associations.

Michael is a Chapter 7 Trustee and was appointed to the Chapter 7 Trustee Panel for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York in 1986. He served on the Local Rules Revision Committee for the Northern District of New York (1993, 1998, and 2000) and was Chairman of the Judicial Merit Selection Committee for the Northern District of New York (1994). Michael is a contributing editor for the West Bankruptcy Exemption Manual (2003-present). He is a member, past president, and past director of the Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, as well as a member of the American Bar Association, Consumer Bankruptcy Committee and the New York State Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee. He is a member of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees and Associate Member of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, and the American Bankruptcy Institute.