A longtime passion for the health care industry drives Kathy Butler to exclusively focus her practice on advising hospitals, health systems, physician practices and other health care providers across the health care spectrum.

Kathy helps providers interpret and comply with regulations including federal and state fraud and abuse laws, federal Stark Law and legal requirements for tax-exempt entities. She counsels on compliance plans, internal regulatory reviews and external regulatory investigations and works with institutional and individual clients on physician practice acquisitions and other physician integration strategies.

In addition, Kathy provides advice on the development of hospital and hospital-system policies and professional service contracts. She is experienced in medical staff credentialing, governance and disciplinary matters, impaired health professional issues, risk management issues, patient rights issues and bio-ethical issues.

Kathy collaborates with the firm’s business services attorneys on general corporate matters related to health care, and with litigators on health care-related litigation matters including medical staff litigation and health care-related litigation brought by the government and/or qui tam whistleblowers.

As a leader of the firm's health care practice and industry groups, Kathy is a leader at the firm — throughout her long career, she has served in various leadership roles both within the firm and as its representative with professional organizations. Kathy has a long-standing interest in the health care industry, and developed a niche that pairs her interest in health care with her legal knowledge. She previously served as in-house counsel for a large health care system, an experience that enhances her understanding of the business and management challenges hospitals face.

In 2022, Kathy was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Directors for the Meritas global alliance of law firms. As a member of the board, she plays a key leadership role in ensuring Meritas firms including Greensfelder are well-positioned to serve clients' cross-regional needs.

Professional Affiliations

• Meritas Board of Directors
• American Health Lawyers Association
• Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, Membership Committee, 2010
• The Missouri Bar, Health & Hospital Law Committee, vice chair, 2001-2003, 2006-present; chair 2003-2006
• Missouri Society of Healthcare Attorneys, board member, 2005-2008; vice president, 2009; president, 2010
• St. Louis Area Health Lawyers Association
• The Healthcare Roundtable for General Counsel

Community/Civic Activities

• Kirkwood-Webster YMCA, Board of Advisors, 2006-present
• Saint Louis University School of Law, Dean’s Council, 2015

Honors & Awards

• The Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, 2014-2024
• Health Care Law Power List, Missouri Lawyers Media, 2021-23
• Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2005, 2007-2009
• Women's Justice Award, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2013

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