San Francisco
Phone +1.415.442.1422
Fax +1.415.442.1001
One Market, Spear Street Tower\\San Francisco, CA 94105-1596\\United States
W. Reece Hirsch counsels clients on healthcare regulatory and transactional matters and co-heads the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice. Representing healthcare organizations such as hospitals, health plans, insurers, physician organizations, healthcare information technology companies, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies, Reece advises clients on issues such as privacy, fraud and abuse, and self-referral issues. This includes healthcare-specific data privacy and security matters, such as compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
Reece represents clients in almost all sectors of the healthcare industry on privacy and security compliance matters. He helps them develop policies and procedures, structures healthcare information technology ventures, addresses Big Data issues, and responds to security breaches. Reece also works with clients to develop and implement corporate compliance programs. Healthcare companies turn to Reece for guidance on conforming their operations—including recruitment, marketing, and data transmissions—to US federal and state healthcare regulatory requirements.
Described by Chambers USA as “a terrific healthcare attorney,” Reece has served as lead transaction counsel on the sale and acquisition of hospitals, medical groups, clinics, and other healthcare organizations. He also counsels clients on the regulatory implications of joint venture arrangements. Reece guides clients through corporate matters relating to the formation and ongoing representation of independent practice associations, medical groups, management services organizations, integrated delivery systems, and healthcare technology companies.
In addition to his healthcare industry work, Reece counsels companies outside of the healthcare industry on general privacy and security matters. These include online privacy, financial privacy, and mobile app issues. The International Association of Privacy Professionals has designated him a Certified Information Privacy Professional.
Reece also served on an advisory group to the California Department of Justice that developed a 2013 policy guide on the detection, prevention, and response to medical identity theft for providers implementing electronic health records systems. He previously served on a similar advisory group to the California Office of Privacy Protection that developed security breach response recommended practices.
Reece is a member of the editorial advisory boards of Bloomberg Health Law News, Healthcare Informatics and Briefings on HIPAA.
In 2009, Nightingale’s selected Reece as an Outstanding Healthcare Information Technology Lawyer. He frequently writes on privacy and healthcare topics.
On a volunteer basis, Reece serves on the board of directors of the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation, which is dedicated to rebuilding the village of Marial Bai in southern Sudan.
Awards and Affiliations
Recommended, Media, technology and telecoms: Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection), The Legal 500 US (2018, 2019)
Named, Modern Healthcare’s “Largest Healthcare Firm” (2016–2019)
Ranked, Healthcare, California, Chambers USA (2005–2019)
Selected as an "Outstanding Healthcare Information Technology Lawyer" by Nightingale's (2009)
Member, American Health Lawyers Association
Member, California Society for Healthcare Attorneys
Member, International Association of Privacy Professionals
Admissions
California
Education
Northwestern University, 1982, B.S.
University of Southern California Law School, 1990, J.D.
