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 Federal law compliance plans for physicians’ practices, hospitals, third-party billing administrators, and other health care and related entities.
Jessica also helps non-profit entities with their corporate affairs, such as obtaining and maintaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and handling regulatory compliance matters. Most recently, Jessica served as counsel during the merger of several multi-state non-profits into one regional entity. This engagement included communication and information sharing with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office to obtain approval for the transaction.
Prior to joining Houston Harbaugh, Jessica spent two years at the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania focusing on administrative law appeals. She served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Donald E. Ziegler and the Honorable Gary L. Lancaster and also held the position of Social Security Law Clerk
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.
Jessica was recognized 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
- Current Member and Former Executive Council Member, Allegheny County Bar Association's Women in the Law Division
- Past Chair and Current Council Member, Health Law Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association
- Member, National Health Lawyers Association
Professional Affiliations
- Magee Women’s Research Institute and Foundation Board of Directors (Leadership On Board Participant, 2008-2010
- 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