Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC has added
the six attorneys of Ruffo Tabora Mainello
& McKay, PC, an Albany-based firm with a
statewide long-term care practice, and in
doing so has created a new Long-Term Care
Practice Group.
The attorneys have joined Bond’s Health
Care Industry Team and will provide the
nucleus of the new group. They focus on a
full range of health care services, insurance
defense, and litigation support for the longterm
care industry.
David A. Ruffo and Raul A. Tabora, Jr., formerly of RTMM, will co-chair the new practice group from Bond’s Albany office. Three other RTMM attorneys have joined the Bond office in Albany, bringing the total number of local Bond attorneys to 26, according to Gregory Champion, managing partner for Bond in Albany. Attorneys from RTMM offices in Pittsford and Lake Success have joined Bond’s offices in Rochester and Garden City.
The new Long-Term Care Practice Group expands the scope of legal services currently provided by Bond to long-term care providers, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, throughout New York, the firm said. The new practice group will complement Bond attorneys serving the long-term care industry in such areas as business restructuring, creditors’ rights and bankruptcy, employee benefits and executive compensation, labor and employment law and government relations.
“RTMM has developed an outstanding reputation across the state for excellence in serving the needs of the long-term care industry,” said Champion. “The addition of these attorneys builds upon the strengths of both Bond and RTMM to deliver a broader, more comprehensive range of services for health care providers throughout the state.”
“The transition will be seamless for clients of both firms,” said Hermes Fernandez, co-chair of Bond’s Health Care Practice Group. “Both Bond and RTMM clients will continue working with the same attorneys and staff members, with no disruption in service. It’s absolutely a win-win for clients of both firms.”
According to Champion, the need for health care legal services is more acute than ever.
“Health care organizations are very much subject to regulatory oversight, and the regulatory and statutory environment is changing rapidly and constantly,” he said. “The onset of the Affordable Care Act is causing all health care providers to prepare for significant change and to reexamine their strategies for providing services.
Bond’s Health Care Practice Team is now in an even stronger position to assist not only long-term care providers, but all providers of health care services.”
In addition to serving long-term care providers, Bond’s Health Care Practice Team serves the many components of the health care industry, including hospitals, licensed practitioners, pharmacies, device manufacturers and mental hygiene providers throughout New York.
Ruffo has 30 years of experience representing nursing homes, adult homes and home care agencies. Tabora has 27 years of health care experience, including eight with the state Medicaid program’s fraud, abuse and audit units.
The third new attorney ion the Albany office is Mark A. Mainello, who has represented nursing homes in construction and commercial contract reviews, CON transactional support, guardianship matters, administrative fair hearings, civil litigation and appeals for 15 years. He has an additional nine years of experience in real estate, trust and estate practice/litigation and surrogate court representation.
Bond has more than 200 attorneys, nine regional offices, and one office each in Overland Park, Kans., and Naples, Fla. The firm has experienced significant growth in the past three years, welcoming several new associates and senior attorneys, and physically expanding, including its Albany office.