Attorney and Staff Profiles

GEORGE F. INDEST III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M.

George F. Indest III, is the founder and managing partner of the Orlando based The Health Law Firm. Mr. Indest is board certified by the Florida Bar in the legal specialty of Health Law. He is also board certified as a health care risk manager by the American Board of Risk Management, Inc. His practice encompasses all aspects of business, corporate, transactional, regulatory and administrative health law practice, and he represents physicians, nurses, hospitals, home health agencies, long term care facilities and other health care providers. His practice also includes the litigation of professional licensing cases and business litigation, defense of health care providers, negotiation of sales of health care practices, Medicare Fraud defense and other areas of Health Care Law. He is A/V rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

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Mr. Indest served as in-house counsel at one of the Navy's largest teaching hospitals and was also in charge of the legal and medical risk management programs in the Navy's largest regional health care system which consisted of twenty-seven major hospitals and treatment facilities. He is on the Executive Council of the Health Law Section of the Florida Bar and has served as Chair of the Medical/Legal Committee of the Orange County Bar Association. Mr. Indest received his BA and JD degree, cum laude, from Tulane University and also was awarded an LL.M. degree, with highest honors, from the National Law Center, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., where his course emphasis was in health care law (legal medicine).He is a member of the state bars of Florida, Louisiana and the District of Columbia. Mr. Indest also serves as chair of the CLE Division of the Health Law Section of the Florida Bar and is on the Board of Directors of a nonprofit charity nursing home and a number of other charitable organizations.

Prior to entering the civilian practice of law, Mr. Indest served 20 years as an officer in the United States Navy. He began his military career in 1973, commissioned as an officer after graduating from Tulane University's Naval Reserve Officer's Training Corps (NROTC). He then attended flight school in the Navy's aviation training program. He received his wings and was designated a naval aviator in 1974. Mr. Indest served as an instructor pilot and an aircraft commander in a helicopter combat support squadron. He was selected for the Navy's Law Education Program based on superior military performance and academic achievement After graduating from law school Mr. Indest became a member of the Navy's Judge Advocate General's (J.A.G.) Corps. He served with distinction as a JAG Corps officer, including serving as the Staff Judge Advocate of the U.S.S. Midway (CV-41), one of the Navy's front line aircraft carriers.

The Navy sent Mr. Indest back to post-graduate law school at The National Law Center, George Washington University, to obtain a specialty in Health Law. He received his master of laws (LL.M.) in 1986. The Navy then assigned Mr. Indest to serve with the Naval Medical Command. The Navy awarded him a post-graduate specialty code in Health Law (P-code) and in International Law (G-code). He served as the Staff Judge Advocate and Command Medico-Legal Officer at Naval Hospital Portsmouth, followed by a tour of duty as Command Judge Advocate for the Naval Medical Command, Mid-Atlantic Region, which was responsible for naval hospitals and dental centers in Virginia; North Carolina; South Carolina; Keflavik, Iceland; Puerto Rico; Bermuda; and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He also served as the Staff Judge Advocate for the Naval Dental Command, East. Mr. Indest served on several different admirals' staffs, including the Commander -in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT), CINCLANT, SACLANT and CNET. While on the staff of CINCLANT Mr. Indest prepared and delivered a major seminar on the Geneva Conventions and the Laws of War to the military Surgeon Generals of the NATO countries.

Mr. Indest retired from military service in 1993. He is a disabled veteran. He is the recipient of a Navy Achievement Medal (with bronze star), Meritorious Service Medal (with bronze star), National Defense Service Medal (with bronze star), and the Meritorious Unit Commendation (with bronze star), among other awards and medals. He also has a commercial pilot's license, instrument rating, in both rotor craft and fixed wing aircraft.

Mr. Indest has a number of publications to his credit. He teaches and lectures frequently and is an adjunct professor in Health Law for Barry University School of Law and University of St. Francis Graduate School.

George F. Indest III visit superlawyers.com

Mr. Indest has been selected as a Florida SuperLawyer in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

MICHAEL L. SMITH, JD, R.R.T.

Michael Smith is an attorney whose practice encompasses all aspects of health law, including business, corporate, transactional, regulatory and administrative work. His practice also includes professional licensing and business litigation. Mr. Smith is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in the legal specialty of Health Law.

Mr. Smith began his law career in Tampa, Florida, practicing in the area of insurance defense. He later formed his own firm where he represented corporations and individuals in a variety of legal matters including business, corporate, transactional and litigation matters. Mr. Smith received his bachelor of science from Nova Southeastern University and his juris doctor from Stetson University College of Law. While at Stetson University College of Law, he received a William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award and Civil Governmental Law Clinic Certificate of Merit. Mr. Smith is admitted to practice in all Florida State Courts, as well as the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Mr. Smith is also a Registered Respiratory Therapist. He is a member of the National Board of Respiratory Care, The American Association of Respiratory Care and the Florida Society of Respiratory Care.

JOANNE KENNA, JD, R.N.

Joanne Kenna is an attorney whose practice encompasses most aspects of health law and nursing law, including the representation of health care providers in professional licensing and credentialing matters, professional board representation, administrative hearings, contracts, licensure issues, corporate matters, transactional matters and litigation.

Ms. Kenna received her juris doctorate degree from Stetson University College of Law where she was a member of the legal fraternity Phi Delta Phi. She began her law career in Tampa, Florida, practicing medical malpractice defense and nursing home defense litigation, initially with a major Florida law firm and later with a major medical malpractice insurance carrier. She then moved to Orlando, where she spent an additional three years practicing medical malpractice litigation. Ms. Kenna is a member of the Health Law Section and Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in all Florida State Courts and in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Prior to her legal career, Ms. Kenna was a registered nurse practicing at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics, where she was the head nurse of the cardiac critical care units and then became the clinical cardiac nursing instructor and coordinator of the university's cardiac intensive care nursing course. Ms. Kenna continues to maintain an active Illinois nursing license. She is a member of The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (T.A.A.N.A.) and has served as a director and as president of the Tampa Bay Chapter of T.A.A.N.A. Ms. Kenna received her undergraduate degree, cum laude, in business management from National Louis University and a certificate in advanced management from the University of Chicago Industrial Relations Center.

CHRISTOPHER E. BROWN, JD

Christopher E. Brown represents physicians, dentists, nurses and other healthcare providers. His practice encompasses health law, administrative law, and representation of health care providers in licensing matters. He is involved in defense of health professionals in Medicaid audit cases, prepares appeals of administrative law cases, and is involved in commercial litigation in state courts. He also has experience in negotiating with the Professionals Resource Network (PRN). Mr. Brown received his Juris Doctor from Barry University School of Law, Orlando, Florida, in May 2009, and his Bachelor of Arts from Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, in 2005. Mr. Brown is a member of the Seminole County Bar Association, Orange County Bar Association, the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), and the Health Law Section of The Florida Bar. The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA), and is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts.

OF COUNSEL

MARISSA A. SMEYNE, JD

Marissa A. Smeyne is an attorney whose practice encompasses health law, commercial litigation and administrative law, including the representation of health care providers in various legal matters such as licensing and credentialing, Medicaid and Medicare audits, contract preparation and review, corporate, transactional, and other litigation matters.

Ms. Smeyne received her Juris Doctorate degree from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California. Ms. Smeyne began her legal career in 2006 in California where she primarily practiced elder abuse litigation with a major law firm. Ms. Smeyne continued to practice elder abuse litigation in California through 2007 when she then moved to Florida to practice nursing home and assisted living litigation as well as medical malpractice litigation. For the year prior to joining The Health Law Firm, Ms. Smeyne managed her own firm in which she provided individuals and businesses with a variety of legal services such as first party insurance litigation, drafting and reviewing contracts, small claims matters, corporate law advice and business law advice.

Prior to her legal career, Ms. Smeyne worked as an admissions and marketing director for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Her duties included conducting medical and financial assessments of potential residents, assisting in obtaining JCAHO accreditation and helping with state licensing authority surveys.

Ms. Smeyne is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts, all California state courts, and in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Ms. Smeyne is a member of the Orange County (Florida) Bar Association, the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers (CFAWL), The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA), the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), and the Health Law and Administrative Law sections of The Florida Bar.

MATTHEW R. GROSS, JD, P.A.

Matthew R. Gross is an attorney whose practice encompasses health law, nursing law, hospital law, administrative proceedings and representation of health care providers in professional licensing matters. He received his Juris Doctor from Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he was a member of the Moot Court Board. While in Law School, Mr. Gross clerked for the Honorable Frederick Lauten of Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit. He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts. Mr. Gross received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Central Florida.

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