Susan Kratz Rejoins Nilan Johnson Lewis

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nilan Johnson Lewis (NJL), one of the country’s largest women-owned law firms, announces that veteran business and health care attorney Susan Kratz has rejoined the firm as a shareholder and member of its health care and corporate/nonprofit groups, effective immediately.

Kratz brings decades of private practice experience, including time previously at NJL where she chaired the health care practice and served on the firm’s board of directors. She was most recently serving as Academic Health Center Counsel for the University of Minnesota, a role she assumed in August 2017, advising on operations and clinical activities across the University’s numerous health science schools and programs. She was involved in many aspects of supporting the academic health mission of the University, including helping establish the joint clinical enterprise arrangement among the University, University of Minnesota Physicians and Fairview Health Services, and playing a key role in the University’s creation of a regional medical school campus in St. Cloud through a new affiliation with CentraCare.

In addition to her expertise in academic medical centers, Kratz has extensive experience advising a broad range of health care providers, insurers and other entities on issues including governance and compliance, health care reform, physician compensation, patient privacy and contract matters. Her notable work includes:

• Representing clients in Minnesota Attorney General’s Office interactions regarding governance and health care transaction legalities;
• Conducting internal investigations and developing corrective action plans on critical compliance matters; and
• Negotiating complex health care business arrangements.

Kratz earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School and her bachelor’s degree in economics, cum laude, from the University of Minnesota. She is a longtime member of the American Health Law Association and a former chair of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Health Law Section.

“Susan is not only a highly skilled attorney but also a trusted advisor with a proven track record of helping organizations make critical, high-stakes decisions,” said Nilan Johnson Lewis President Amanda Cialkowski. “Her ability to simplify complexity and develop practical, strategic solutions will be a tremendous asset to our clients.”

Nilan Johnson Lewis is a future-minded, women-owned law firm that is a first choice for organizations across the country seeking deep expertise to solve their complex business challenges and disputes. Diversity is a core value at NJL, fostering a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives drive innovation and exceptional client service. The firm has deep expertise in five areas of law: health care, corporate and nonprofit, labor and employment, business litigation, and product liability/complex tort litigation.