Michael J. Morris

Michael Morris concentrates his practice on representing and advising insurance and health care industry clients on business transactions and the handling of regulatory matters. Michael has deep experience advising on transactions subject to regulatory scrutiny for life/health insurers, property/casualty insurers, managed care organizations, third-party administrators, and insurance producers.

In the managed care arena, Michael is well experienced in the formation and licensing of insurers, HMOs and other state-regulated entities including organized delivery systems and independent practice associations, including the development of compliant business operations and provider contracting arrangements. Michael is regularly engaged by clients at the intersection of significant business relationships between major health care payers and health systems and has facilitated numerous joint venture and financial risk sharing arrangements in the healthcare industry.

Michael’s counsel is regularly sought by clients in the insurance distribution space, including general agencies and brokerages, seeking either to expand the scope of their business through acquisition or strategic alignment, or to exit a successful practice through a sale to a larger acquiring party. He also regularly counsels insurance distribution clients in sales practice compliance, especially in life/annuity and surplus/excess lines business, and has defended numerous regulatory examinations and enforcement actions.

In addition to his transactional regulatory practice, Michael regularly litigates disputes matters involving insurance regulatory issues before state and federal courts, as well as various administrative forums. This includes matters arising from the rehabilitation or liquidation of insurers, as well as contested, unsettled issues of insurance and health care law.

Michael’s practice extends to general corporate and commercial matters and the representation of middle-market businesses as outside general counsel. Michael counsels a broad array of clients in forming new businesses and negotiating and drafting contracts underlying significant business transactions such as asset acquisitions, stock purchases, and mergers.