Barnes & Thornburg further strengthened its healthcare team in Raleigh with the arrival of partner Katherine Hinson and associate Aaron Finkel. The two new laterals increase the firm’s previously announced team of 12 lawyers from K&L Gates to a total of 14. The group significantly deepens the firm’s healthcare regulatory, compliance, data privacy, clinical research, transactional and False Claims Act capabilities in the Research Triangle Park (RTP) region and nationally. The group also includes a team focused on litigation, investigations and enforcement.
“We are pleased to welcome these additional lawyers to the cohesive and collaborative group in RTP,” said Barnes & Thornburg Managing Partner Andrew Detherage. “They fit seamlessly into our firm and the healthcare team and immediately make us better. We are excited about what Katherine and Aaron bring to the firm and how the broader healthcare practice can serve our clients even better.”
The 14-member team is led by partners John Lawrence and Kelsey Jernigan. Lawrence will serve as managing partner of the Raleigh office, effective Nov. 1, 2026, and Jernigan is director of healthcare regulatory services. The other partners are Jared Burtner, Marty Folliard, Nathan Huff, Carolyn Merritt, McNair Nichols, Rebecca Schaefer and Gabe Scott. The associates are Christian Flemming, Sara Hall and Michael Phillips. Huff, Nichols, Flemming, Hall and Finkel focus on litigation and investigations involving hospital systems, universities, academic medical centers and life science companies.
Folliard, Scott and Hall were not previously identified in the initial announcement because they had not yet started at the firm. Folliard advises healthcare industry clients, including hospitals, academic medical centers and healthcare technology companies on the full range of healthcare regulatory and compliance matters, with a focus on privacy and digital health issues. Scott focuses his practice exclusively on health law and maintains a national healthcare regulatory and transactional practice centered on resolving complex regulatory compliance issues. Hall concentrates her practice on internal and government investigations, enforcement actions, white-collar defense and complex commercial litigation.
Hinson provides healthcare regulatory counsel in compliance, operational and transactional matters. She has worked with various healthcare clients, including health systems, hospitals, academic medical centers, behavioral healthcare providers, pharmacies and private equity firms.
“We are delighted that these team members are joining us at Barnes & Thornburg, where we continue to provide exceptional service to our clients,” said Lawrence. “Their versatility, experience and innovative approach to solving problems are a perfect fit with the strong team that we continue to build here in the Triangle.”
Barnes & Thornburg’s Raleigh office has been operational since 2019, with a focus on intellectual property and the life sciences industry. The office now also provides M&A and private equity, litigation, and healthcare services as it has become a destination for the region’s premier legal talent.
“Bringing Gabe, Marty, Katherine, Sara and Aaron on board continues the strategic expansion of our healthcare team in Raleigh,” said Healthcare Department and Industry Practice Chair John Kelly. “As healthcare providers face new compliance challenges, our healthcare team is perfectly situated to help our clients minimize risk when assessing regulatory requirements, handling protected health information, structuring transactions, and responding to government inquiries. This is the perfect time to expand our capabilities to effectively serve our clients in every segment of the healthcare industry.”
With more than 140 lawyers, Barnes & Thornburg's Healthcare Industry practice represents clients across the full spectrum of the industry, including regulatory compliance, government investigations, reimbursement, fraud and abuse, corporate transactions, litigation, privacy, labor and employment, intellectual property and life sciences matters.
Barnes & Thornburg has added five lateral groups this year in a historic hiring spree and was ranked No. 1 by Pirical for Q1 2026 lateral partner additions. In 2026 alone, the firm has added more than 130 lawyers so far — including 70 partners — and opened three new offices. Previous additions include a 39-lawyer public finance and infrastructure group, a 12-lawyer insurance recovery team and a six-lawyer tax and insurance recovery group.