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Overview

Tanya’s ability to focus on clients’ individual values and goals helps her advocate in a wide range of disputes both in and out of the courtroom.

Tanya has experience in all stages of litigation, from initial pleadings to negotiations to trial strategy. She manages the day-to-day operations of complex cases and all aspects of discovery, including eDiscovery. Tanya offers guidance to numerous healthcare clients, including healthcare providers, pharmacy benefit managers, nursing homes, practitioners, and surgery centers. Tanya also defends business and commercial clients in high-stakes cases throughout the country. She has represented clients in contractual disputes, business torts, consumer fraud disputes, and injunctive proceedings. In addition, Tanya handles pro bono matters including guardianship actions for minors and adults, and has argued before the Missouri Court of Appeals. Before joining the firm, she worked as a policy specialist at the Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare.

An experienced litigator, Tanya’s ability to find strategic solutions has resulted in favorable outcomes in uncertain, business-critical situations. She endeavors to find the most efficient and effective resolutions for small and large clients alike. Tanya’s counsel attempts to minimize the disruptions of litigation so clients can remain focused on their own business priorities.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2018 Up & Coming Lawyer
  • Association of Corporate Counsel, Value Champion, 2017
  • Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Pro Bono Award, 2015
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Health Care, Rising Star, 2014-2021
  • Missouri Bar Pro Bono Wall of Fame, 2012-2014

Education

  • J.D., University of Missouri School of Law
    • magna cum laude
    • Board of Advocates, Judging Director
    • CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Civil Procedure and Estates & Trusts
    • Fred L. Howard Award for Excellence in Advocacy
    • Missouri Law Review, Associate Managing Editor
    • Order of the Barristers
    • Order of the Coif
    • William M. Howard Award in Legal Research and Writing
  • M.P.A., University of Missouri Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs
    • Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society
  • B.A., Truman State University
    • Political Science
    • cum laude

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Health Law Association
  • The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • The Missouri Bar
  • The Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater St. Louis
Featured Experience

Jury Returns Complete Defense Verdict in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Anesthesia Provider

The children of a patient who died during surgery brought a wrongful death lawsuit against a hospital and the anesthesia provider. Plaintiffs alleged that the certified registered nurse anesthetist was improperly monitoring the patient during surgery and her negligence led to the patient’s death. The hospital was later dismissed from the action. Tanya and the team defended the anesthesia provider in a week-long jury trial, putting on witnesses and experts to refute the allegations. The jury returned a complete defense verdict.


Additional Experience

Healthcare

  • Obtained complete defense verdict after week-long trial where patient alleged neurological injuries and brain injury as a result of anesthesia care provided to him.
  • Defeated insurance company's challenge to the handling of prescription drug guarantees and 340B claims under pharmacy benefit management agreement.
  • Achieved full dismissal of claims brought against pharmacy benefit manager due to ERISA preemption.
  • After several years of litigation and targeted discovery, obtained full voluntary dismissal of plaintiffs' claims of improper dispensing of prescription drugs due to plaintiffs' conduct discovered throughout the course of the case.
  • Negotiated favorable resolution of claims against a skilled nursing facility by utilizing key documents and investigation to highlight plaintiff's and family's own conduct contributing to result.
  • Procured favorable settlement when audit revealed pharmacy engaged in numerous business practices that violated its provider agreement with pharmacy benefits manager. Parties agreed to resolve dispute, and client secured consent judgment for full outstanding balance plus interest as security if pharmacy defaults on its payment obligations.
  • Won arbitration award for pharmacy benefits manager in action to recover money for fraudulent claims submitted by pharmacy.
  • Achieved full dismissal of mail order pharmacy from case alleging improper dispensing of prescription drugs based on admissions obtained during doctor's deposition.
  • Defeated former network pharmacy's request for preliminary injunctive relief that would have forced client to recontract with pharmacy after client learned that pharmacy's actions knowingly breached contract.
  • Obtained a successful jury verdict for a skilled nursing facility in a wrongful death suit. An 88-year-old resident had fallen while unattended in her room. She suffered a fractured leg, wounds, and infection, and passed away three months later. The plaintiff--the resident's daughter--alleged that the injuries and death were due to inadequate staffing, lack of oversight and poor care, and sued for $1.8 million. After a week-long trial, the jury returned a complete defense verdict in the facility's favor.
  • Obtained several favorable results in administrative hearings on behalf of skilled nursing facilities.

Commercial Disputes

  • Successfully challenged potential TCPA suit prior to litigation based on pursing targeted investigation into allegations showing potential plaintiff could not succeed.
  • Negotiated favorable settlement and legal fees for international packaging company in federal court involving claims of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and declaratory judgment action.
  • Secured favorable resolution for commercial client in litigation involving a post-closing dispute concerning a multimillion-dollar asset purchase agreement.
  • Obtained favorable resolution for business client in litigation stemming from former member's misuse of company information.

Other

  • Secured significant win from the Missouri Supreme Court affirming state law that barred eminent domain condemnations “for solely economic development purposes.”
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of pro bono client in federal civil rights case alleging client and other defendants failed to train, monitor and supervise police officer who engaged in activities that violated plaintiffs' civil rights. Client was dismissed on basis of quasi-judicial immunity and on the merits before a trial that resulted in multimillion-dollar verdict against remaining parties.
News Releases | December 19, 2019
Husch Blackwell Welcomes 22 New Partners

Nearly 60 percent of the firm's 2020 partnership class is comprised of women.

Outside the Office

Tanya enjoys spending time with family and learning new skills.

Tanya spends most of her time outside the office with her husband and two young children exploring St. Louis and carting her children to and from various activities. With family across the Midwest, Tanya enjoys traveling with her family and their two dogs, an 80-pound Aussie/lab rescue who thinks she’s a lap dog and a 100-pound Great Dane who loves to cuddle and sleep. She enjoys reading a variety of different types of books and sharing her love of reading with her children. Tanya is an avid (yet amateur) baker, and her family is especially fond of her banana bread.

Community Leadership
  • Young Friends of the APA
  • Griffiths Leadership Society for Women
  • Homeowners Association, Board of Trustees
  • Ready Readers