Houston – Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has added Donald Walker as a partner in the health care practice. He joins the firm’s Houston office after serving as director and senior legal counsel at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH). 

At TCH, Walker advised the network’s entities on corporate operations and ancillary health care services, including pharmacy, managed care, billing, privacy, Medicaid Managed Care Organization issues, and global health programs. His experience also includes managing litigation matters, leading internal investigations, and negotiating contracts and agreements related to health care. As an assistant general counsel at TCH, Walker led the legal and compliance strategy related to the hospital’s 340B program and represented TCH before the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. He also previously served as assistant regional counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he represented the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in all phases of litigation. 

Richard Church, a co-leader of K&L Gates’ health care and FDA practice, commented: “We are pleased to have Don join us and add to our strong Texas health care practice – now with a Houston presence. Don is an extraordinary addition who brings tremendous capabilities in key areas of industry importance to our health system and academic medical center clients.”  

Walker’s arrival closely follows the addition of a number of health care partners in the firm’s new Nashville office, including Matthew Miller, Ken Marlow, Kim Looney, Stephen Page, and Wells Beckett. They are among the more than 60 partners who have joined the firm since January 2020.

“Don is an exceptional addition to not only the Houston office, but also to the firm’s globally-integrated health care practice,” said Anil Patel, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Houston office. “He brings a unique blend of private practice, in-house, and government experience, including extensive knowledge in pharmacy/340B Program matters and provider-led payor plans. We look forward to Don building an exciting practice in the health care space from our Houston base.”

K&L Gates’ health care lawyers represent clients across the care continuum – from premier academic medical centers and hospitals and health systems to home health agencies and hospices, pharmacies, clinical labs, durable medical equipment suppliers, and long-term care providers – on a variety of state and federal regulatory and compliance issues, investigations, transactions, and litigation.