Sara Alpert Lawson

Described as an “excellent lawyer” by Chambers USA, Sara Alpert Lawson is the Baltimore office managing partner and a third-generation trial lawyer recognized for her work in complex health care False Claims Act (FCA) investigations and litigation. She represents academic medical centers, hospitals, Medicare Advantage and other managed care plans, providers, and executives in high-exposure enforcement matters brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide.

Her experience encompasses both intervened and non-intervened FCA matters involving alleged improper coding and billing, capitation rate calculation issues, medical-necessity disputes, informed-consent allegations, Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute concerns, and other regulatory compliance issues central to federal health care programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. She has successfully obtained dismissal of FCA claims at the pleading stage and has guided clients through lengthy government investigations without charges or intervention. She is regularly engaged in matters presenting parallel civil and criminal exposure.

In addition to her health care enforcement work, Sara maintains an active commercial litigation practice. She has represented health systems, pension plans, national retailers, and other corporate clients in complex contract disputes, professional negligence claims, shareholder and governance litigation, and high-value business tort matters. She has first-chaired federal jury trials, including an 18-day trial involving alleged pension liability misstatements exceeding $130 million arising out of a health system acquisition. This broader trial experience informs her approach to FCA defense, particularly where cases proceed beyond the investigative stage into contested litigation.

Sara is described as a “client-oriented” lawyer who can “identify smart solutions and figure out how best to implement them.” (Source: Chambers USA). As a litigator with nearly two decades of experience, she combines institutional leadership with seasoned trial judgment, and is frequently entrusted with matters of significant regulatory, financial, and reputational consequence.

Sara is recognized in Chambers USA for Litigation: White Collar Crime and Government Investigations and in The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White Collar, and Health Care Litigation.