Partner and Co-Chair, Public Policy Group, Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP
Mark Behrens co-chairs Shook's Washington, DC-based Public Policy Practice Group and is a leading national expert on civil justice issues with over thirty years of experience. A substantial part of his practice is working to improve the civil litigation environment through state and federal legislation; in the courts through amicus curiae briefs; through legal scholarship and judicial education; and in the court of public opinion.
Mark is actively involved in civil justice reform efforts at the federal and state levels. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and most state legislatures on behalf of business and civil justice organizations. Mark also has an active amicus brief practice specializing in tort liability and civil justice issues. He has authored or co-authored over 150 amicus briefs in cases before the United States Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts on behalf of business, civil justice, and defense lawyer organizations. In addition, Mark routinely files comments on behalf of business, civil justice, and defense lawyer organizations regarding potential changes to federal and state court rules. He chairs the International Association of Defense Counsel’s (IADC) Civil Justice Response Committee and serves on the Board of Directors of Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ).
Mark is a member of the American Law Institute (ALI). He received his J.D. in 1990 from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he was a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He received his B.A. in economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1987.
Policy Advisor, Heartland Institute
Jeff Stier is a policy advisor to the Heartland Institute.
He is widely quoted in the media and has written health policy op-eds for The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The New York Post, The Washington Examiner, and Foxnews.com. The New York Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC, NPR and other major outlets have interviewed and quoted Stier on a wide range of topics.
Stier has testified at state and local legislatures throughout the U.S., at FDA scientific hearings and at the Office of Management and Budget. He has also been a voice for freedom at hearings at the United Nations and in Israel’s Knesset. During more than two decades of advancing public health and defending liberty, Stier has been a speaker at CPAC, policy retreats for elected officials and medical and legal conferences.
Stier advises leading investment firms on regulatory and legal risk.
Earlier, Mr. Stier crafted health and environmental policy in the Office of the Mayor during the Giuliani administration in New York City.
Mr. Stier serves on the boards of the non-profit Jewish International Connections and Park City Jewish Collective. While earning his law degree at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Mr. Stier served two terms as Editor-In-Chief of the Cardozo Law Forum. Jeff and his canine, BB, served as a Certified Crisis Response Strike Team with NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines, supporting survivors and first-responders.
Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Case Agent, Chasing the Dragon Project
SA Shane Dana is a Special Agent for the FBI. He is assigned to a Health Care Fraud Squad for the Washington Field Office where he has focused on prescription drug diversion for the past 12 years. SA Dana was the case agent for the production of the FBI/DEA documentary, Chasing the Dragon - Life of an Opiate Addict, which was released on February 4, 2016 (FBI.gov/Chasingthedragon). SA Dana has also supported the FBI as a SWAT operator for over 10 years. SA Dana holds a Masters in International Public Affairs from the University of Wisconsin - Madison; an MBA from Rollins College; and a BBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. Prior to joining the FBI, SA Dana worked for an institutional money management firm and he was a commissioned Army Infantry Officer, and served in the Wisconsin Army National Guard.
Legislative Counsel, United States Senate Judiciary Committee
Drew Hudson is a Legislative Counsel to Senator Jeff Sessions on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he advises Senator Sessions on crime, drugs, and law enforcement issues. He holds a J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he was the Managing Editor of the Law & Psychology Review and a member of the moot court board. He also holds an M.A. in Government from Regent University, and a B.A. in History from Thomas Edison State College.
General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs
James Baehr was confirmed as General Counsel for the Department of Veterans Affairs in October, 2025.
Previously, Baehr was a Constitutional litigator and a founder of the Pelican Center for Justice. Before that, served as a Special Assistant to the President in the Domestic Policy Council in the White House. He coordinated and oversaw DPC’s policy portfolio across a number of agencies, including the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the Department of Justice.
Baehr serves as a Major in the Marine Corps Reserves as the Reserve Regional Defense Counsel-East Coast. In 2018, he activated and deployed to the Middle East for Operation Inherent Resolve, where he worked on the Command Staff and earned the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
In his civilian career, Baehr was a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Orleans, prosecuting over 100 defendants for felony-level violations in the Eastern District of Louisiana including narcotics, fraud, murder, and corruption. He previously clerked for Judge Edith Clement of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Baehr’s first job after law school was as an active-duty Marine judge advocate defense counsel. He defended over 200 Marines in trials, presentencing trials, and administrative boards.
Baehr received his J.D. and a Masters in History from the University of Virginia in 2008. He graduated from Dartmouth College with honors in History and Government in 2005.
Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare Industry Group
With prior service as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Tenet Healthcare, he brings more than 20 years of experience in addressing challenging healthcare issues in government and private industry.
Mr. Urbanowicz regularly advises boards of directors, senior management, investors and lenders of health care organizations facing significant regulatory, compliance, financial or operating challenges. His clients include healthcare providers, payors and suppliers.
Recent engagements include: serving as a federally-appointed hospital restructuring and safety monitor; compliance and operational improvements for publicly-traded and not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) and Medicaid managed care companies; renegotiating of government debt for a major hospital system; restructuring advisory services to the Medicaid program of a large state; numerous internal and government investigations involving healthcare providers including: academic health systems, medical device companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, long term care hospital companies, hospice providers, dental services companies and disease management companies.
Mr. Urbanowicz also serves on the board of directors of Maxim Healthcare Services, one of the nation’s largest home health services companies, and chairs the company’s compliance committee.
As Deputy General Counsel of HHS, from 2001 to 2003, Mr. Urbanowicz served as the senior legal adviser to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on significant federal healthcare policy issues including Medicare and Medicaid provider payment and fraud and abuse enforcement policy. He was part of the team that drafted the historic Medicare Prescription Drug Act of 2003.
During his tenure at Tenet, Mr. Urbanowicz was responsible for successfully resolving several major federal criminal investigations and civil lawsuits facing Tenet by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the HHS Office of Inspector General. Prior to his government service, he was a partner in the law firm of Locke, Liddell & Sapp.
Mr. Urbanowicz earned a bachelor of arts’ degree and a Juris Doctor degree from Tulane University. He is admitted to the bars of the District of Columbia, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Louisiana Supreme Court, and is a member of the American Law Institute.
Managing Director, Berkeley Research Group
Dan Troy is Managing Director and an expert witness on FDA matters at Berkeley Research Group. Previously he served as Chief Counsel of the US Food and Drug Administration and General Counsel of GlaxoSmithKline PLC.
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