Introduction - Health Law Bio

A shareholder in the Litigation Group, Kent litigates a variety of health law, commercial, contract, probate/trust and employment cases. He has extensive experience in state and federal courts including significant appellate practice, and represents clients in administrative proceedings before governmental agencies. He also has served frequently as a mediator and represents clients in many dispute resolution proceedings.

In recent years, Kent has focused increasingly on health care law and represents health care professionals, clinics and hospitals in litigation and before state licensing and disciplinary boards and in peer review proceedings.

Prior to joining Fredrikson & Byron in 1986, Kent was the Chief Deputy Attorney General for the State of Minnesota. He has appeared before the United States Supreme Court on several occasions, including the presentation of a successful brief and oral argument in the First Amendment case of Heffron v. International Society of Krishna Consciousness, 452 U.S. 640 (1981).

Education

• Cornell University Law School, J.D., 1974
• Ohio University, M.S., 1967
• Bowling Green University, B.S., 1966

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 1974
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1974
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1976
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1976

Practice Areas

• Litigation
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Medical Practices Defense
• Health Care Fraud & Compliance
• Trusts & Estates Litigation

Selected Publications & Presentations

• "And The Suit Goes On: Reporting Malpractice Settlements and Verdicts to the Board of Medical Practice," Minnesota Medicine, January 2003
• "Alternative Dispute Resolution," MILE, May 2001
• "Complaints to the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice in FY 2000," Minnesota Medicine, November 2000
• "Healthcare Practitioners With AIDS," MILE, 1996
• "Safe Conduct; The Board of Medical Practice Strives to Steer the Profession Through Turbulent Times," Minnesota Physician, September 1995
• "The Board of Medical Practice Improves Its Complaint Handling System," Minnesota Medicine, January 1995
• "New Law Avoids Unnecessary Punishment of Impaired Physicians," Minnesota Medicine, September 1994
• Co-author of "Avoiding 'Inherited Risk' With Referred Patients," Minnesota Physician, July 1994
• Physicians' Reporting Obligations in Sexual Misconduct Cases," Minnesota Board of Medical Practices Update, Spring 1994
• "AIDS and the Health Care Professional," MILE 1993
• "Risk Management, Prescribing Practices: Pitfalls to Avoid," Minnesota Physician, December 1992
• Kent has also written articles on a variety of health law topics for the Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Focus newsletter and has lectured on similar topics at numerous seminars sponsored by Fredrikson & Byron

Professional Activities

• Minnesota State Bar Association, Health Law Section, Member
• Hennepin County Bar Association
• Southern Minnesota Regional Legal
  Services Office, 1978-86
• Adjunct Professor, Legal Writing,
  William Mitchell College of Law, 1981-83
• President and Board Member, Loan Repayment Assistance Program of Minnesota, Inc.
• Member, Advisory Board of Directors of
  Hamline University Law School
• Member, Minnesota Health Licensing Board's Complaint Process Task Force, Fall 2000
• Attorney with Minnesota Attorney General's Office,
  1974-1986 (last 3 years as Chief Deputy Attorney General)
• United States Air Force, Captain, 1967-71