(Nashville, TN/July 10, 2008) Former American Health Law Association President Richard G. Cowart has been named one of two members of this year's AHLA Fellows class. He is a shareholder in the Nashville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, where he chairs the Health/Public Policy Department. Mr. Cowart was recognized at the AHLA's annual meeting in San Francisco on June 29.
"For over a decade, Dick Cowart has provided insightful strategic leadership to the American Health Law Association," said Peter M. Leibold, executive vice president/chief executive officer for the AHLA. "His emphasis on diversifying the association's membership and its revenue sources has led to years of strong growth. As a leading national health lawyer and the winner of the association's most significant honor, the David J. Greenburg Service Award, we are proud that Dick is now an AHLA Fellow."
Under Mr. Cowart's leadership, the Health/Public Policy Department of Baker Donelson is regarded as one of the most prominent health law practices in the country. It has been ranked in the top 10 practices by Modern Healthcare and recognized as one of the nation's leading health care practices in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and Health Lawyers News.
Mr. Cowart has dedicated his entire legal career to health law, with an emphasis on serving as board counsel to health service organizations (both for profit and not-for-profit). He is a recognized authority in advising clients on the legal, regulatory and business issues related to health care services. He counsels providers on business, policy and governance issues, with an emphasis on business transactions. Mr. Cowart is also a nationally known speaker and writer on health care issues, as well as a national columnist for Medical News, Inc. and a health business columnist for The Tennessean.
Last year Mr. Cowart received AHLA's David R. Greenburg Award for Lifetime Service to Health Law. He is an editorial board member of the Journal of Health & Life Sciences Law and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (Copyright 2007 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.) since 1991. He is also listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Mergers & Acquisitions; Healthcare); Corporate Counsel, "Best Lawyers: Healthcare;" Nightingale's Healthcare News, "Nation's Best Hospital Attorneys;" and Who's Who of American Law; and was named as a Leading Health Care Attorney by Legal Media Group.
Locally, he has been listed in Business Tennessee magazine's "150 Best Lawyers" in the area of healthcare (transactional) law (2007, 2008); and the Nashville Business Journal's "Health Care 100" (2007). He has also served in leadership roles in a number of Nashville organizations, including Vanderbilt University's Owen School of Management; David Lipscomb University's President's Advisory Council; the American Heart Association and the Hermitage.