Michelle has spent over 25 years helping clients manage their legal risk so that they can focus on their mission and key business objectives.
A former executive in the nonprofit sector, Michelle chairs Wiggin and Dana’s HIPAA Practice Group and co-chairs the Cybersecurity and Privacy Practice Group. She also chairs the Clinical Research Regulation and Compliance Practice Group and is a member of the firm’s Health Care and Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice Groups.
Highly regarded for analytical and people skills that supplement her depth of experience, Michelle counsels clients on operational compliance; state, national, and international privacy and security requirements; data breach and incident response; communication with and advocacy before regulatory authorities; and data sharing and data management in the context of collaborations and affiliations. Michelle advises on the European Union’s (EU’s) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as well as on HIPAA and other U.S. and state privacy laws. Michelle holds the certifications of CIPP/U.S. (Certified Information Privacy Professional / U.S.) and CIPP/E (Certified Information Privacy Professional / Europe), both granted by the International Association of Privacy Professionals. She is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Ireland/EU and is qualified to serve as a GDPR Data Protection Officer (DPO).
Michelle’s health care and life sciences practice focuses on health care regulatory compliance and audits, HIPAA and related privacy requirements, clinical research regulation and clinical research contracting, and general operational matters in the health care regulatory area. Having represented providers in connection with Medicaid audits her entire career, she is respected by regulators and well-versed in both the legal and practical issues that need to be considered to ensure a favorable result. She represents a variety of clients in this area, including dentists, physicians, home health care agencies, DME providers, behavioral health providers and others.
