High-Profile Former U.S. Department of Justice Prosecutor, David Lazarus, Joins Verrill’s Health Care and Life Sciences Practice

(November 29, 2021) – Verrill is pleased to welcome David Lazarus to the firm’s Boston office as a Partner in its nationally recognized Health Care & Life Sciences Group.

Lazarus is a former Department of Justice prosecutor and high-profile trial lawyer with more than 16 years of experience in high-stakes criminal and civil legal proceedings. He represents organizations and individuals in a wide variety of investigations, hearings, administrative actions, criminal and civil trials, and enforcement proceedings brought by federal and state government agencies, primarily in the health care and life sciences industries. He also brings deep experience and knowledge in criminal and civil asset forfeiture, restitution, money laundering, and high-stakes financial penalties, including the pre-trial restraint and seizure of assets, such as complex assets and cryptocurrency.

“As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, David was entrusted with responsibility for prosecuting some ground-breaking cases and in the process, he gained national renown. We are thrilled that David has chosen to join Verrill and will now use the vast knowledge he obtained working with the health care and life sciences industries, as well as his unparalleled first chair trial experience, for the benefit of Verrill’s clients,” said Michael K. Fee, Chair of Verrill’s Health Care and Life Science Practice Group.

Prior to joining Verrill, Lazarus served as an Assistant United States Attorney for nearly a decade in Massachusetts and Florida. Lazarus investigated and prosecuted some of the largest and most-complex health care and white-collar cases in the country, including those relating to pharmaceuticals and opioids, pharmacies, charitable co-pay foundations, hospitals, physician practices, government and commercial insurers, payment and reimbursement, durable medical equipment manufacturers and suppliers, and telemedicine. Among his many significant trials, Lazarus was a lead trial lawyer on the 53-day racketeering trial of the billionaire founder of opioid manufacturer Insys Therapeutics, Inc.

“I have long been impressed with Verrill’s highly skilled team, its impressive clientele, and its robust national capabilities,” explained Lazarus. “It is an exciting time to join the growing Health Care & Life Sciences Group and I am eager to get started representing clients in all aspects of government investigations and enforcement proceedings, internal investigations, trials, and business disputes.”

Lazarus’ exceptional accomplishments as a federal prosecutor have led him to be a frequent speaker and teacher on matters related to health care regulation and enforcement, and government investigations. He has taught more than 2,000 federal and state health care enforcement agents and prosecutors how to conduct parallel investigations and health care fraud enforcement. Lazarus has appeared on many well-known television programs, including 60 Minutes, Alex Gibney’s Crime of the Century, and American Greed. He has been recognized with a number of prestigious awards over the years. In 2020, Lazarus was honored with the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Director’s Citation, Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General Honors Award, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency Award, and the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association 2020 Investigation of the Year Award. Earlier this year, Lazarus was recognized for the third time by the Director of the FBI, this time for health care fraud.

Lazarus received his bachelor’s degree from Colgate University, during which he was recognized with the Dean’s Award for Community Service. He earned his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, magna cum laude, as a Dean’s Merit Scholar.