Jessica A. Ellel
Senior Associate
Direct Dial: 412-288-2260
Jessica A. Ellel concentrates her practice in the area of Health Care Law drafting and negotiating physician employment agreements and negotiating contracts between physicians and hospitals, including agreements governing the sale of medical practices. She also handles corporate governance issues ranging from practice formation through dissolution. Jessica assists individual physicians and physician groups in addressing issues surrounding fraud and abuse prohibitions and the Stark law. She develops and reviews compliance plans for numerous health care providers and related entities. She also works with non-profit entities to obtain and maintain tax-exempt status.
Prior to joining Houston Harbaugh, Jessica spent two years at the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She served a one year appointment as the Social Security Law Clerk focusing on administrative law appeals. She also served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Donald E. Ziegler and the Honorable Gary L. Lancaster.
Jessica lectures on issues relating to physician employment agreements, HIPAA, and other compliance issues, and she has published articles in the Allegheny County Medical Society Bulletin and in the Physician’s News Digest.
In 2008, Jessica was selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – Rising Stars 2008. Only 2.5% of lawyers in Pennsylvania are named to this list.
Bar Admissions
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Education
- Cornell University, B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies, 1999
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., 2002,
Certification in Health Law, Topics Editor for The Pittsburgh Journal of Technology Law and Policy
Professional Affiliations
- Member, Executive Council of the Allegheny County Bar Association's Women in the Law Division
- Chair of the Health Law Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association
Community Involvement
- Magee Women’s Research Institute and Foundation Board of Directors (Leadership On Board Participant)
- Leadership Development Initiative XV, 2007-2008
- Committee Chair, Race for the Cure Committee of Women in the Law Division of the Allegheny County Bar Association, 2006-2008