Seasoned Healthcare Regulatory and Transactional Attorney
Transactional and Regulatory Experience
Marissa has over two decades of experience representing healthcare providers, facilities, and ancillary services across the country in complex transactional and regulatory matters.
Healthcare Experience
Marissa represents physicians, chiropractors, dentists, physical therapists, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, pharmacies, laboratories, home health agencies and other health care businesses.
Marissa counsels clients on OIG rules and compliance with federal and state healthcare laws and regulations including, but not limited to, the following:
- Stark Law (Physician Self-Referral Law)
- Civil Monetary Penalties Act
- Texas Patient Solicitation Act
- PPACA
- Federal Anti-kickback Law
- HIPAA
- CLIA
- Federal False Claims Act
Marissa advises clients on DEA, DPS, Medicare, Joint Commission and DNV matters and has administered governance programs for non-profit and for-profit health care systems. She also creates and implements compliance plans.
Marissa forms and restructures healthcare businesses, documents acquisitions and divestitures of companies, and manages healthcare finance, real estate, and workout matters. She supports clients with traditional employment and administrative pay models for physicians, creates certified nonprofit health care corporations, and structures clinically integrated networks.
Marissa has negotiated credit facilities and managed transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but also regularly counsels closely held family businesses and solo practitioners. She addresses every matter with professionalism, pragmatism, and business acumen.
Marissa is a cum laude graduate of Rice University where she served as Student Association Secretary and was on the Dean’s List.
She went on to attend the University of Houston Law Center where she graduated Order of the Barristers and was Managing Editor of the Houston Journal of International Law. She competed in numerous advocacy tournaments and was a finalist at the National Health Law Moot Court Competition and the John Black Moot Court Competition. She also won Best Appellant Brief and was a Regional Semifinalist at the Jessup International Moot Court Competition.
Marissa is licensed by the State Bar of Texas.
Until founding Nichols Brar Weitzner & Thomas LLP with her partners, Marissa was a partner at two BigLaw firms. In addition, she served as Director of Legal Services at an academic medical center in the Texas Medical Center and Chief Legal Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at a publicly traded healthcare management and operations company.
Marissa has held several national leadership positions for the American Health Lawyers Association, most recently as Chair of the Physician In House Counsel Affinity Group. She is also a frequent speaker at regional and national health law industry conferences. Marissa has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® by BL Rankings in Health Care Law (2016) and Houston’s Top Lawyers by H Texas Magazine (2015).
Her experience as in house and outside counsel coupled with her business experience managing healthcare service lines allow her to offer sensible, creative business advice to her entrepreneurial clients.
Marissa has three children, ages 19, 18, and 16, and has co-chaired the Rice University Class of 1995 Gift Giving Committee.
Marissa enjoys snow skiing, hiking, travel, supporting Rice University athletics, and cooking great meals for family and friends. She also really loves a medium rare steak and great bourbon.