One of the most widely-respected and trusted attorneys serving the clinical laboratory industry and anatomic pathology profession is leaving private practice to join the corporate world.
Effective October 1, 2016, Jane Pine Wood becomes the new Chief Legal Counsel and Compliance Officer for Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc., of Elmwood Park, New Jersey. Wood will leave McDonald Hopkins, based in Cleveland, Ohio, where she has practiced since 1988.
In a statement to THE DARK REPORT, Wood said, “After almost three decades of the private practice of law, I have decided to go down a new path. This has been a difficult decision for me, and I remain very loyal to my firm (and to my colleague, Rick Cooper), but after 30 years, I’m ready to try my hand at something new, including an increased focus on my business and management skills!”
hundreds of path/Lab Clients
Lab and pathology clients of Wood have received letters from her law firm announcing her departure. The effect of this decision will be significant, because THE DARK REPORT believes that—just in the field of pathology and clinical laboratory medicine—the number of her clients is in multiple hundreds. Additionally, Wood was regularly a key legal adviser to pathology and laboratory associations and societies on the full range of issues involving federal and state legislation, the Medicare and Medicaid programs, CLIA, the FDA, and managed care contracting policies.
By joining Bio-Reference Labs at this time, Wood will be dealing with new and tough challenges. The nation’s third-largest clinical lab company, BRLI was acquired last year by OPKO Health, Inc., a pharmaceutical firm located in Miami. OPKO Health sees opportunities to leverage BRLI’s capabilities in managed care contracting for drugs moving through its pipeline. OPKO also has a prostate cancer test, the 4KScore, which is supported by strong clinical data.
Bio-Reference Laboratories’ sales force is beginning to market this proprietary test to physicians nationwide.
Wood will speak at a special webinar organized by THE DARK REPORT. It will take place on October 12 and she will be joined by attorney Richard S. Cooper, of McDonald Hopkins. Wood and Cooper will discuss 2017’s key legal, regulatory, and managed care contracting issues. It is an opportunity for labs and pathology groups to benefit from Wood and Cooper’s insights and recommendations.
