Drew Elizabeth McCormick
Associate
Office: Boston
Years at Firm: 2
What is your favorite part about practicing health care law at McDermott?
I get to work with world class lawyers on cutting edge issues and help our clients navigate the challenges of succeeding in a very dynamic, heavily regulated industry. I am constantly being challenged and learning new things, all while having the honor of helping guide our clients in transforming health care.
What is the biggest opportunity and greatest challenge facing clients in your area of focus today?
Definitely the ability to take on risk and succeed in a value-based payment paradigm. We are seeing many shifts in the industry, which are largely being driven by fundamental changes in reimbursement structures away from fee for service. Compounding this, the regulatory framework is lagging behind in many regards, creating tensions and uncertainty that our clients lean on us to help them resolve.
What kind of client work gets you most excited when it comes across your desk?
I really enjoy collaborating with our White Collar colleagues to counsel clients undergoing government investigations or defending False Claims Act cases. We are able to synergize our litigation expertise in defending the investigations and cases, and our health care regulatory expertise in analyzing the underlying legal/regulatory issues to better counsel our clients. I have found the opportunity to use my healthcare regulatory knowledge in an advocacy position to be really rewarding – and fun!
What is the proudest moment of your career to date?
I recently had a close friend go through a significant health crisis and needed some expert advice. I was able to reach out to a few health care contacts I have made through my work for information. They went out of their way to be supportive, and I was very grateful that my experience, insight and the connections that I have built with my clients afforded me the opportunity to help my friend in a time of need.
If you were not a lawyer, what career would you pursue?
If I did not pursue the intersection of law and medicine from the legal side, I would have come at it from the medical side – likely forensic pathology. I have always been fascinated by the inner workings of the human body, and have a background in ethics and philosophy that feed my strong sense of justice. I would find it very satisfying to use my “detective” skills to help prosecute perpetrators and give a voice to victims.
