At the Horowitz Physician Law Group, we specialize in providing comprehensive physician defense for doctors facing a variety of challenges:
License Defense: Led by renowned trial lawyer Daniel Horowitz, our expert team offers robust defense to ensure your professional credentials remain intact.
Peer Review: We excel in peer review cases, protecting your reputation and career during critical evaluations.
Medical Board Representation: With extensive experience dealing with the Medical Board, we effectively navigate complex regulatory issues on your behalf.
Healthcare Fraud Defense: Our adept handling of healthcare fraud allegations safeguards your practice and livelihood.
General Criminal Defense: For physicians facing general criminal defense matters, our skilled attorneys provide vigorous representation to protect your rights and future.
Trust Horowitz Physician Law Group to be your steadfast advocate in all medical-legal matters.
Why Choose Our Physician Lawyers?
Expertise: With decades of experience, our team understands the intricacies of medical license defense.
Comprehensive Defense: We handle all aspects of your case, from initial investigations to appeals.
Proven Success: Our track record speaks for itself, with numerous successful defenses for physicians across California.
Dr. Mark Ravis: Physician and Lawyer
Michael Yates, D.C., Chiropractor and law school graduate
Medical Board Defense: We represent physicians in front of the MBC and OMBC, ensuring your rights are protected.
Peer Review: Prevention and active defense.
Appeals: If you face disciplinary actions, we navigate the appeals process to challenge adverse rulings.
Legal Guidance: We provide ongoing legal support to help you maintain compliance and avoid future issues.
Criminal Defense: A simple DUI is an inconvenience except if you are a physician. License implications from any criminal offense will impact your license.
Office Location
Located in Lafayette, California (Contra Costa County), we serve doctors throughout the state. Our associated physician lawyer Dr. Mark Ravis has his office in the Los Angeles area. Attorney Brookes Hammock is licensed in Pennsylvania. We represent medical doctors anywhere in California and in most locations nationwide. We are licensed to practice in the United States Supreme Court, California Supreme Court, federal courts, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Courts of Appeal.
Healthcare license defense is a highly specialized area of law. At the Law Office of Daniel Horowitz, our team, including Daniel Horowitz, Mark Ravis (MD & JD), and Michael Yates, D.C., focuses on proactive medical license defense.
Our Approach:
Pre-Peer Review Intervention: We engage in pre-peer review intervention and negotiation, aiming to defuse situations and cooperate when possible.
Strategic Documentation: We document and advance your interests strategically, much like a chess game.
Forward-Looking Defense:
Sophisticated Analysis: We use a sophisticated analysis of internal communications, trends in healthcare license prosecutions, and our extensive experience to anticipate and confront challenges to your license.
Proactive Measures: Our approach is never reactive. We are forward-looking, ensuring that our defense strategies are prepared well in advance.
Experience and Expertise:
Peer Review Investigations: With years of experience, we intervene in peer review investigations and challenge sham peer reviews.
Understanding Standards: We are well-versed in the dangers of non-standard FPPE, OPPE, PIPs, and other pre-charging, pre-peer review actions.
By leveraging our expertise and proactive approach, we help healthcare professionals protect their licenses and maintain their professional standing
Our approach is strong and proactive but always balanced and tactical. We focus on quashing and resolving investigations so that you never reach the point of license suspension, privilege suspension or Accusation.
We hear words to that effect almost every time a doctor faces unfair challenges to their medical license. On the other hand, as attorneys, this is exactly what we signed up for when we took our oath.
Daniel’s Commitment to Physician Defense
Daniel’s work in providing physician defense in California is driven by a fundamental belief: medical doctors and the medical profession need protection from excessive governmental and insurance company intrusion.
A Personal Connection
When Daniel was a child, Dr. Bernie Rosenberg came to his apartment when Dan had measles. With his black leather bag and long coat, just like in a movie, Dr. Rosenberg practiced until he died in his 80s, having a fulfilling life and wonderful career.
The Noble Profession
While those days are gone, the medical profession remains the most noble profession. You are entitled to support, appreciation, and protection This is how Dan Horowitz and lawyer / Dr. Mark Ravis approach their physician representation.
Daniel is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Health Law Association, American Bar Association Health Law division and the Contra Costa County Trial Lawyers Association (among others). He is a veteran of hundreds of jury trials, administrative hearings and physician based legal proceedings.
In Contra Costa County his trial victory for Dr. Judson Brandeis led to a $ 1.7 million dollar award and control of his intellectual property.
A physician facing criminal charges for insurance fraud in Los Angeles hired Horowitz and they turned the tables and successfully prosecuted a civil lawsuit against the insurance company.
His defense in the Stockton MUA trials was successful and cut short the planned prosecution of over a hundred chiropractors and anesthesiologists. In a recent case, Horowitz settled a physician peer review case in just months taking it over from an attorney who had litigated it for over four years.
Physician Representation Nationwide
Daniel Horowitz works nationwide with the best medical lawyers in the country. We have established relationships with medical attorneys with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington State, Washington D.C., Rhode Island and Texas.
Fair hearings, peer review, NPDB and other license protection cases can be handled quickly and effectively with Daniel Horowitz and Dr. Mark Ravis representing you. In California we work regularly with specific attorneys in Orange County, Los Angeles County, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, San Joaquin County, and Stanislaus County. Daniel Horowitz and Dr. Mark Ravis are directly licensed to appear in all courts in California.
Contact our California physician defense attorney at 925-291-5388 to defend you against allegations of misconduct.
Physician Defense Practice
1. Medical Board, Medical License Defense & Hospital & Medical Group Discipline
A. Sometimes a Doctor Needs a Doctor (who is a lawyer)
Our medical license defense group includes Dr. Mark Ravis who is a currently licensed physician and active lawyer. Whether the challenge to your medical license is in credentialing, privilege restrictions, MEC investigation or active discipline - our physician lawyers will fight for you.
B. Physician Advocates with Extensive Courtroom Expertise
Peer review, medical board cases are trial cases. We are hearing saavy with experience far beyond that of most physician lawyers. We combine vast technical experience with seasoned trial lawyers to provide you with the very best medical license defense. Our hearing and litigation experience is unmatched when you need a lawyer for peer review, MEC investigations, direct involvement by the medical board and National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) reports/prevention. If a Medical Board Accusation goes to trial, we believe no physician advocate in California can match the 200 jury trials and thousands of evidentiary hearings conducted by Daniel Horowitz.
2. Medical Board Accusations
A Medical Board Accusation is a public event. Unless it is withdrawn it stays with you for years. The Accusation process starts with the investigation. We are expert in preventing filings, negotiating resolutions and anticipating the weaknesses in the medical board's case. If a hearing is necessary to protect your license we have exceptional trial lawyers with skills forged by thousands of hours in a courtroom.
A. What Does a Physician Lawyer Seek in a Medical Board Case?
Of course, total victory and vindication. But realistically “a fair trial is no trial at all” and we focus on preventing a filing in the 1st place. If an Accusation is filed we look to have it withdrawn. If the Accusation stays we look to have it modified, negotiated and resolved with the least amount of damage.
B. What Happens if the Accusation is Not Resolved?
Daniel Horowitz is one of California's most experienced trial lawyers. He is legendary for his blistering cross examinations of opposing medical experts. His medical expert and lawyer, Dr. Mark Ravis is a currently licensed physician and trial lawyer in his own right. If your case has to be fought in the courtroom, the Horowitz trial team is your 1st and best choice.
Contact a physician license defense lawyer near you at 925-291-5388 to defend you against allegations of misconduct.
National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) reporting tags a physician for life. We can challenge initial reports, seek modifications, appeal adverse judgments and document your file.
There is no vaccination to protect you from the Medical Board but we can discuss danger areas with you and act to preempt any board action. Our medical lawyers and paralegals regularly review filed board cases. We track the hot button discipline areas for the medical board. We can evaluate your practice and help push you out of harms' way.
If you are involved in a medical malpractice case beware! Even a completely innocent physician can be subject to mandatory reporting when a malpractice case settles.
4. Judicial Review of Hospital, Medical Staff/MEC Decisions
California has a judicial review statute that allows a physician to obtain judicial review of many types of adverse licensing, credentialing and disciplinary decisions. We can review your situation and make a determination as to whether CCP 1094.5 or other statute will protect your rights.
Contact medical license defense lawyers near you at 925-291-5388 to defend you against allegations of misconduct.
Physician Lawyers
As attorneys for doctors we recognize the unique challenges that physicians face when their decades of sacrifice are put at risk. The challenges come from many directions.
Doctors Under Challenge(s)
Medical doctors are challenged from all sides. Insurance reimbursements are inadequate for most types of care. PCP's are pressured to treat patients on an assembly line structure. Medical decisions are standardized as if the MD is just one step better than a computer algorithm. This leads to medical license investigations, insurance billing inquiries and holdbacks as well as other challenges that force doctors to answer to outside entities despite their best medical judgment.
Doctors Should Be Allowed to Make a Living
It used to be joke that a plumber makes more money than his doctor. Now that is not such a joke. Profitability is not a crime and profitability is not inconsistent with quality medical care. Unfortunately, attempts to generate ancillary income often trigger Medi-Cal, third party payor investigations especially when the physician inadvertently triggers computer algorithms that conflate his/her legitimate practices with fraudulent schemes.
Insurance Holdbacks & Even Criminal Charges From Fair Billing
Unfortunately attempts by medical offices to receive fair compensation can lead to insurance company pushback, criminal charges or civil lawsuits. Competitors, staff at hospitals who are falling down on the job, disgruntled employees and patients who believe Dr. Google knows more than you, can trigger an avalanche of peer review, criminal or medical board harassments. We understand just how unfair this is and we can protect you.
Medicaid Audits
Likewise, if you need a Medicaid audit lawyer you waited too long. At the first sign of trouble a legal consultation may nip the problem in the bud. Check out the qualifications of attorney Karina Johnson (who previously worked with Charles Bond at Physicians Advocates in Walnut Creek). Karina has more certifications than we put in this web box! (Karina's Profile)
Immigration Law for Doctors
Oksana Tyskova is our physician immigration lawyer. She is the contract immigration attorney for the Marin County Conflict Panel. The daughter of two physicians, Oksana understands the importance of completing your education, residency, fellowships and full integration into the U.S. medical community. Oksana is fluent in Ukrainian and Russian.
Medical Law Team Members
Physician - lawyer Dr. Mark Ravis is currently licensed as both a medical doctor and California lawyer. His medical analysis tied with his legal expertise makes him highly valued resource. He and Daniel Horowitz will operate as a team on cases with high conflict and complex medical issues. In truth, sometimes a doctor needs a doctor and even the best physician advocates benefit greatly from a person like Dr. Mark Ravis.
Daniel Horowitz has represented doctors in Oakland, Contra Costa County and statewide for more than 35 years. Daniel does not like the term medical license defense because the real phrase is “person who sacrificed for years to earn a medical degree defense”. We are defending you, your hopes, your dreams, your family and your sacrifices.
Former Top Prosecutor Tom Kensok of Napa, California brings his trial expertise and 30 years of experience with law enforcement to the defense of physicians.
Attorney Karina Johnson our medical credentialing attorney also reviews physician contracts and business opportunities. (Karina was formerly an attorney with Physician’s Advocates in Walnut Creek, California.)
Your career is dedicated to patient care – Let our Physician Lawyers take care of you!
Our practice is headquartered in Lafayette, California. Lafayette is a suburb of San Francisco and next door to Walnut Creek (Contra Costa County). Dr. Mark Ravis' office is in Calabasas, California an hour from Los Angeles. We represent doctors throughout California and we are Zoom and tech friendly. (Dan Horowitz was one of the first attorneys to bring a computer into the courtroom. In 1983 he brought a Gnat System 10 to a preliminary hearing. [We are trying to confirm whether this was the first use of a computer in a courtroom.]
For out of state cases we have established relationships with top trial lawyers in Texas, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In Washington state we work with powerhouse Anne Bremner. In New York we partner with a truly legendary lawyer, Martin Garbus.
Recent Successes
Our legal teams have had many recent successful defenses of medical professionals. In 2022 we had a filed Accusation dismissed and all records of the filing removed.
We prevented numerous license suspensions and negotiated multiple cases to treatment and diversion rather than public sanction. Our lawsuits on behalf of physicians and patients have made the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle twice in 2022.
Our victories include the complete vindication of doctor Rebecca Parish as we proved that only the severely ill and elderly received vaccinations at her FREE COVID clinic. We argued for FDA emergency exceptions for vaccine clinic doctors that got extra doses from overfilled vials and gave them without cost to persons in need. Dr. Judson Brandeis received over $ 1.5 million dollars from Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology and Pacific Urology as the judge found intentional wrongdoing on the part of one of the Pacific Urology doctors and a staff member. In another case a doctor whose legal matters had gone on for over 6 years resolved these matters within months of hiring Daniel Horowitz.
Team Formation
Medical license defense requires a team of lawyers led by a trial lawyer. The peer review process or medical board are not places for the general practitioner. You need a lawyer and a legal team that is honed to that specific area of representation. For contested hearings in courtrooms, at administrative hearings or in board or peer review matters we can provide you with lawyers who have spent years of their lives physically in courtrooms.
Our team is deep. We bring to your case a physician lawyer, an MBA, former U.S. Attorney investigator, former top prosecutors and other team members with special expertise. We form teams where each member contributes a unique skill set. Beware the contract lawyer who “also” handles medical board matters. He/she is usually not the best lawyer for a case requiring years of experience and specialized skills. Likewise, we will honestly tell you when we are not the best lawyer for your needs. We can often refer you to someone who is a better fit.
Doctors Charged with Crimes or Facing a Messy Divorce
For criminal cases, high conflict divorce or other matters that can spill over to threaten your license, our team is well suited. We can move between the state courts and the medical board or hospital to mitigate the harms from DUI arrests, DV claims and other allegations of misconduct. In all instances we custom select lawyers, investigators and paralegals with a depth of experience in your area. We have excellent relationships with experts and expert witnesses who respect our work and often preferentially agree to work on cases with us.
Karina Johnson has represented physicians in divorce actions for many years and she is expert in protecting your practice and professional growth. Karina Johnson worked with Physicians Advocates in Walnut Creek, California (Attorney Charles Bond) and now has her own practice.
What Cases Does The Medical Board of California Handle?
The Medical Board of California (Board) investigates complaints involving:
Polysomnographic trainees, technicians and technologists
Research psychoanalysts
How the Horowitz Medical Group Approaches a Case
We can work quickly. We understand that a completely unfounded – 15 day summary suspension can lead to medical board investigation(s) that last for months. The medical board investigations can continue even if the suspension is reversed. As physician lawyers we understand your needs and your vulnerabilities. We truly understand.
Remember, the Medical Board is controlled by a group of political appointees and the DCA. To negotiate with these groups it is critical to understand their interests and priorities. Our expertise covers trial law, medicine and the nuances of medical legal practice.
The Horowitz Medical Law group is rare in having expertise in all three areas. We are always tactical. We are always strategically oriented. We look many moves ahead. We balance what can be achieved with a combative approach and what is in your best long term interest.
For a fast response call our office at 925-291-5388. You will reach a real person who is physically in our office. Or fill out our confidential physician contact form below and we will contact you very quickly.
Top Rated Nationally
Daniel Horowitz is a Top Rated lawyer with many recognized awards and achievements. He is top rated “10” by AVVO & “AV” by Martindale Hubbell, a Top 100 Lawyer with the National Trial Lawyers, A Top 1% Attorney with the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. He is a Thomson-Reuters “Super Lawyer”. Daniel has been a regular legal commentator for CNN, MSNBC and a regular guest on “The Savage Nation” and the Nancy Grace show. Horowitz' victory for Michael Savage (Michael Weiner) freed his show from the TRN radio network. Laura Ingraham then followed and the entire TRN network collapsed. Daniel filed a groundbreaking lawsuit for best selling author Terry McMillan against her former husband who threatened to release negative publicity if she did not negotiate a divorce settlement on his terms. Daniel represents the journalists who went undercover to obtain information about a pro Hamas group in America who were they sued by the organization. This group (CAIR) has recently been banned from the Biden Whitehouse. When Steve Williams picked up Barry Bonds' 700th homerun baseball, Daniel Horowitz defended Steve against lawsuits by other fans who claimed the owned the ball. Dan won and Steve got $ 804,000 for the ball at an auction that Daniel arranged.
Criminal Charges? Daniel Horowitz is Board Certified as a Criminal Defense Specialist
For cases involving criminal allegations (or that potential), Daniel is rare among physician lawyers in being a Certified Specialist in Criminal Defense (State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization). Only approximately 300 lawyers in all of California have achieved that specialist designation.
The Best Qualified Medical Attorneys
Daniel Horowitz is a member of the American Health Law Association, California Society for Healthcare Attorneys and the California Academy of Attorneys for Health Care Professionals. He is admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of California. As an experienced lawyer for doctors, Daniel Horowitz weaves standard law into nuanced doctor focused concerns.
Our attorneys have argued in the state and federal courts of appeal, United States Supreme Court and even internationally in courtrooms in Cyprus, Israel, Canada and The Netherlands.
We understand that domestic disputes, divorce filings, DUI arrests, disgruntled employees and simple professional disagreements can result in license suspension, peer review and other MD specific consequences. We understand how quickly medical office matters can spin wildly out of control. We are problem solvers and crisis management experts. We have been there – many times !
Daniel’s practice focuses on defending medical doctors in license actions, medical board investigations, peer review investigations and hearings. His results have been excellent as his online reviews clearly reflect. His Wikipedia page can be seen HERE.
Daniel Horowitz’ experience is valuable to you as a client. His experience and that of his legal team, provides you with viable options and choices.
Recent medical cases include the successful defense of a vaccine clinic whose doctor was investigated for directing extra doses to Seniors in need, a verdict of $ 1.7 million dollars in favor of a Board Certified Urologist who was unjustly targeted by his medical group as he resisted a takeover by corporate interests, a dismissal of a filed Accusation, the termination of an active Medical Board Investigation, and a “no file” of criminal charges when a medical office was raided and records seized.
Note: No ethical lawyer can “guarantee” a result. We can “guarantee” that we care deeply about our clients and we will honestly and vigorously defend you.
Court Admissions
Daniel Horowitz is admitted to practice in the State of California and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, California Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and United States District Courts in numerous jurisdictions. He appears in administrative law courts and at peer review hearings throughout the United States. We have established relationships with high level attorneys in many states including Texas, New York, Washington, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.
Daniel Horowitz has appeared in federal courts nationwide and is admitted to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
International Legal Work
Daniel Horowitz has appeared in courtrooms in The Netherlands, Israel, Canada, and Cyprus. He has taken depositions in China and Ukraine. His international cases include representation of former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Pavel Lazarenko, an American businessman charged with crimes committed in China, representation of a U.S. corporation in Ukraine and Russia. These cases had Horowitz traveling internationally and negotiating resolutions with high ranking government officials, mobsters and business people in these countries.
Academic – Publishing
Daniel Horowitz is a teacher to both lawyers and law students. He regularly lectures to attorney groups and publishes in legal journals. He is a continuing education instructor and a prior law school and college instructor. Horowitz is a lecturer to criminal defense lawyers who are preparing for the criminal specialist examination in California. He has lectured at the CPDA/CACJ death penalty college in Monterey. Publications include the CEB Real Property Reporter, Alameda-Contra Costa County Trial Lawyers Journal, CPDA Magazine and other national and local bar journals.
Top National Ratings
Daniel Horowitz is nationally known as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer. He is recognized as a California “Super Lawyer”. Few attorneys in the nation have taken as many high complexity cases to jury trial. Daniel has been lead counsel in 1000’s of contested hearings and lead counsel in over 200 jury trials. If you need surgery you select an experienced surgeon. No amount of paper experience compensates for inexperience in the OR. Daniel’s trial experience and national recognition make all the difference when you are in a courtroom. Objections in court must be made within 1/2 a second or it is often too late. Years of trials allows Daniel to anticipate issues and problems so that the solution is at his fingertips. Trial experience for a medical board case translates into negotiation power. Opponents can understand your position and Daniel can meet, confer and negotiate a fair resolution. You can negotiate without “losing face” because Daniel’s trial reputation precedes him. You have the assurance that if negotiation fails you are not bluffing. Daniel can still make your case in court. Daniel’s trials include defense of medical fraud, medical employment law, personal injury and wrongful death. His criminal cases include 8 death penalty trials and over 40 murder trials.
One final comment. Disbelief or hope are not your friends. While you are inactive – hoping for the best, your opponents are active. They are preparing their case. Medical board, peer review and criminal cases do not go away on their own. They get worse even though you may be unaware of the progression of the problem. We phrased that last sentence to deliberately mirror a medical situation so that you understand our point. We understand that money spent on attorneys is a waste in the sense that it does not feed your family or build your practice. However, you have no choice and delay with false hope makes matters worse. Medical malpractice policies often provide some coverage for medical board matters. We can help you with coverage requests.
Tough, humble, has integrity - simply THE best. With Dan it is not so much about the money but about doing what is right. A very rare breed. He has honesty and integrity and the jurys see it. If he doesn't believe in the case or the client he won't waste your time or his. But you better listen to him!...Believe an trust in him. I did and I am totally indebted to him. He is "The best of the best." Thank you Dan for all you have done and continue to do. Carole~ Arbuckle v. Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Carole A.
“Despite his kindness, I have never once doubted his ability to provide me with THE BEST representation in court.”
He is approachable but serious. Mr. Horowitz is the perfect balance of what someone wants in a lawyer. Not only is he approachable enough to gain and value your trust, but he's a bulldog in the courtroom. Despite his kindness, I have never once doubted his ability to provide me with THE BEST representation in court. I'm so thankful to have found a lawyer capable of such a delicate balancing act.
