Workplace Violence: Legal Risks and Response Strategies

Liz is an experienced attorney and registered nurse; Liz is passionate about supporting and advocating for healthcare providers. She practices from Columbia, Missouri as a member of our virtual office, The Link. With more than 10 years of clinical experience in the healthcare field, Liz has worked as a registered nurse in emergency medicine, intensive care, trauma, and forensics. Because of her background, she truly understands the ins and outs of healthcare, both clinically and operationally. This gives her an advantage as an advocate for healthcare providers facing a variety of legal challenges, including regulatory compliance issues, audits and overpayment demands, medical malpractice claims, professional license matters, and government investigations. Liz regularly represents physicians, pharmacists, nurses, hospice providers, and long-term care providers before professional boards and government agencies, as well as assisting with day-to-day compliance questions. She has experience defending professional licenses for multiple provider types (e.g., physicians, pharmacists, chiropractors, nurses, and nursing home administrators) before their respective boards in multiple states. An experienced litigator, Liz takes a team approach to providing effective and strategic medical malpractice defense and regularly serves as case manager, as well as handling administrative appeals in a variety of contexts. She also guides hospices, long-term care providers, and other healthcare clients through health inspections (surveys), internal investigations, and audits. While Liz works with a wide variety of healthcare providers, she has a special focus on long term care providers, such as skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. After more than eight years assisting these clients, Liz understands the heavy regulatory burden in the post-acute care space and the challenges faced by facilities, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Liz has succeeded in contesting deficiencies on behalf of long-term care facilities through informal dispute resolution and the federal administrative appeal process, and she has successfully handled many involuntary discharge matters in multiple states. In addition to her healthcare practice at the firm, Liz also serves as general counsel for a physician-operated e-commerce company specializing in health and personal care products. This role gives her insight into the importance of balancing risk management and compliance objectives with business goals and helps her understand clients’ daily business concerns.

Rufino has dedicated his career to helping employers map out optimal paths to resolve staffing and compliance issues with high-stakes outcomes. Rufino has significant experience representing clients in labor matters, including collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, unfair labor practice claims and union election petitions, and has represented numerous clients before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). At the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rufino has helped employers navigate quickly changing federal, state and local employment law, including the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA); Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act; state and local “stay at home” and similar orders; and related issues of leave, accommodation and safety. Rufino also has extensive experience negotiating health and safety matters before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and discrimination claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Clients and colleagues value Rufino’s hands-on view regarding labor and employment matters, from drafting proactive policies and handbooks to efficiently handling general day-to-day human resources issues, as well as crafting strategies and solutions for unexpected investigations or litigation. Prior to beginning his law practice, Rufino served in the U.S. Army Reserve, including a yearlong tour in Iraq, with Bravo Company, 980th Engineer Combat Battalion. For his service, Rufino received the Army Commendation Medal and the Combat Action Badge.