Brach Eichler Partners Join RWJBarnabas Health in Nonlegal Executive Roles
Deb Lienhardt, senior vice president, and Mark Manigan, executive vice president of RWJBarnabas Health. (Courtesy photos)
Two longtime health care lawyers with Brach Eichler are giving up legal practice for business development executive roles at West Orange-based RWJBarnabas Health.
The health care system announced Tuesday that Mark Manigan and Deb Lienhardt have joined its business development team as executive vice president and senior vice president, respectively. Manigan will report directly to RWJBarnabas Health president and chief executive officer Barry Ostrowsky.
"Mr. Manigan and Ms. Lienhardt are highly qualified attorneys who have significant experience in both corporate and regulatory health care matters and we are excited that they will be joining our team," Ostrowsky said in a press release.
Manigan and Lienhardt, who began their new roles Monday, were not available for comment.
It's the first time Manigan and Lienhardt will hold nonlegal business roles, according to their LinkedIn pages.
Lienhardt was most recently a partner in Brach Eichler's health law practice, where she represented a variety of health care providers in corporate transactions during her more than 17 years at the Roseland-based firm. She has also served as the coordinator of the New Jersey Healthcare Market Review. Lienhardt earned her law degree at Columbia University School of Law.
Manigan joined Brach Eichler in 1997 and, like Lienhardt, was a member of the firm's health law practice. He was also a member of Brach Eichler's executive committee. His practice focused on health care transactions and regulatory matters, and he advised clients on strategic matters, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate issues, according to Tuesday's press release. He graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law.
John Fanburg, chairman of Brach Eichler's health law practice and firm managing partner, said Manigan and Lienhardt are well equipped to serve as business advisers because of their decades spent working closely with health care companies on corporate issues.
They have served as RWJBarnabas Health's outside counsel for "several years," Fanburg said by phone, providing both legal and business advice.
"They were able to develop long and deep relationships with clients, not only as lawyers but as business advisers, strategists, engaging in strategy planning for the clients," Fanburg said. "They were extremely adept at that during their years practicing law. The move to RWJBarnabas to be in somewhat that same but nonlegal capacity makes sense and seems like a natural fit for them."
Ostrowsky said in the statement that the lawyers are "fluent in issues vital to the industry," and the pair will allow RWJBarnabas Health "to further leverage opportunities for progress."
In late 2017, Fanburg and Manigan were appointed to the Healthcare Transition Subcommittee of then-incoming Gov. Phil Murphy's transition team.
Manigan issued a statement Monday: "For clients that we have not yet been able to reach over the phone, it has been a privilege to represent you and we very much appreciate the relationship that we have developed over the years. Further, Deb and I are confident that our colleagues at Brach Eichler will continue to provide you with proactive and strategic counsel so critical in today’s dynamic and challenging health care environment."
