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Overview

With a background as a pharmacist and Associate General Counsel to a large, regional skilled nursing care organization, Kevin represents healthcare clients in a variety of litigation matters.

Kevin assists healthcare organizations in complex litigation, including reimbursement issues, audits, commercial disputes, insurance coverage matters and False Claims Act allegations. He has successfully represented clients in all phases of litigation, from inception to trial,​ in court and arbitration. Kevin is a valued member of the client service teams for multinational healthcare organizations and major pharmacy benefit managers, routinely working with very sophisticated clients. Kevin regularly assists the firm’s coast-to-coast Hospice & Palliative Care team on a broad range of administrative, litigation and regulatory issues related to hospice and post-acute clients.​

Kevin has long been passionate about healthcare. While studying to be a pharmacist, he completed a pharmacy-law rotation at a national law firm and became fascinated by healthcare law. He went on to earn his law degree while working as practicing pharmacist. As part of his pharmacy-law practice, Kevin regularly counsels California pharmacies and pharmacists on regulatory, business, and day-to-day operational issues including audits and Board of Pharmacy inspections.

Prior to joining Husch Blackwell, Kevin worked at a boutique litigation firm in Los Angeles and later served as in-house counsel for a large long-term skilled nursing and post-acute organization where he was frequently involved in executive decision-making, contract negotiations and risk management. He describes the experience as a gamechanger for his approach as an attorney: working in-house gave him a unique understanding of the corporate world clients inhabit so that he can fully grasp their business analyses, rationale and goals. Kevin appreciates firsthand how organizations evaluate risk and how their legal needs and strategies fit in with their overall business plans.

In addition to his in-house and on-the-ground background, Kevin has built a reputation as a true problem solver. He’s known for taking a unique view of a case and finding solutions to complex problems. Clients praise his outside the box thinking.

Industries

Services

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America
    • Commercial Litigation, 2025
  • Selected to the 2020 Law360 Health Editorial Advisory Board
  • International Journal of Health Policy and Management (IJHPM), Expert Reviewer

Education

  • J.D., Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
    • Health Law Certification
    • Jurimetrics, The ABA Journal of Law, Science, and Technology, Senior Articles Editor
    • William H. Pedrick Scholar
    • Center Scholar, ASU Law Center for Law, Science, and Innovation
  • Pharm.D., Midwestern University College of Pharmacy
  • B.S., University of California, Los Angeles

Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Society for Pharmacy Law
  • American Health Law Association
    • Dispute Resolution Service Council
  • American Bar Association
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association
    • ​Committee on Adequate State Court Funding, 2019–2024
  • Orange County Bar Association, Healthcare Section
  • Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, ​Registered Pharmacist (2013 to present)
  • Armenian Bar Association
    • ​Next Generation Mentorship Program​​​
  • American Society of Consulting Pharmacists​

Languages

  • Armenian, native
2024 Pro Bono Contributor
Experience
  • As lead counsel, received a complete defense verdict for international transportation company in a negligence action with claimed damages exceeding $1 million.
  • As lead counsel for a healthcare payor in arbitration against a national drug detoxification clinic, successfully secured the dismissal of all claims, including over $1 million in allegedly unpaid reimbursement claims and declaratory relief claim, prior to the evidentiary hearing.
  • As lead counsel, represented California pharmacy shareholder and officer in the prosecution of a multi-million dollar shareholder derivative lawsuit against majority shareholders and management, obtaining favorable settlement with recovery exceeding client's initial demands.
  • Successfully represented numerous pharmacy clients in resolving pharmacy benefit manager audits, resulting in favorable client outcomes after appeals of preliminary and final audit reports, including reduction of discrepant amounts and return of recouped pharmacy funds.
  • Successfully represented pharmacy and pharmacist clients in regulatory compliance and in response to Board of Pharmacy disciplinary proceedings, inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions.
  • Secured complete dismissal of California Board of Pharmacy disciplinary penalties against pharmacist client arising out of improper verification of dozens of prescriptions after administrative conference with Board staff.
  • Represented pharmacy clients in a broad range of contracting and transactional matters, including drafting and negotiating pharmacy services agreements, vendor agreements, software contracts, pharmacy-wholesaler agreements, and other pharmacy contracts.
  • Researched, briefed and successfully argued federal dismissal of wrongful death case after contested removal based on novel defenses which led to expansion of the federal officer removal jurisdiction and Medicare preemption of common law tort claims.
  • Favorably settled high-exposure coverage determination dispute after removal to federal court by arguing that subcontractor of an employer-funded small group health insurance policy could avail itself of ERISA's preemption provisions.
  • Prevailed in arbitration on a cross-complaint in a contentious trade secret, breach of contract and patient-solicitation case brought against client. Kevin was the lead associate handling the matter and served as second chair at the arbitration.
  • Handled healthcare litigation matters including cases concerning reimbursement, audits, contract disputes, trade secrets and insurance coverage.
  • Experienced in handling healthcare, commercial, employment, torts and complex Elder Abuse matters.
  • As in-house counsel, proactively identified and resolved legal matters with the company's compliance, human resource, clinical, marketing and risk-management teams. Drafted, reviewed and negotiated vendor contracts.
  • As in-house counsel, worked in conjunction with senior corporate personnel to interpret regulations, counseled on business initiatives and drafted company governance documents, correspondence, policies and contract templates.
Outside the Office

With two young children, Kevin likes to spend most of his free time with his family. He also enjoys watching basketball, football and soccer; gardening; and exploring the world.

Community Leadership
  • Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief, Phoenix Chapter, 2013–2017
  • American Diabetes Foundation, 2011–2013
  • Nurse Family Partnership, 2011
In-House Counsel Experience
  • Associate General Counsel, Sun Mar Healthcare, 2020-2022