Asha M. Natarajan

Asha is of counsel in the Healthcare practice, where she advises healthcare and life sciences companies on regulatory compliance, healthcare fraud and abuse matters, and government investigations. A former trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Civil Fraud Section and assistant U.S. attorney focused on criminal healthcare fraud, Asha brings firsthand insight into how federal investigators and prosecutors evaluate potential violations, assess evidence, and pursue enforcement actions. She helps clients anticipate regulatory risks, respond strategically to government scrutiny, and develop practical compliance solutions that support their business objectives.

Asha represents pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, hospitals and health systems, clinical laboratories, pharmacies, and other healthcare organizations, as well as private equity sponsors and their healthcare portfolio companies. Her practice focuses on False Claims Act (“FCA”) investigations, voluntary self-disclosures, internal investigations, compliance and regulatory matters, and reimbursement disputes. She also advises life sciences clients on FDA regulatory matters, including promotional review.

Drawing on her experience in both civil and criminal enforcement, Asha helps clients understand how government agencies identify potential misconduct and determine whether to pursue investigations, litigation, or settlements. During her tenure in the Civil Fraud section at DOJ, she led complex FCA investigations and litigation involving medically unnecessary laboratory testing, alleged kickback arrangements, and violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and current good manufacturing practices. She negotiated settlements totaling more than $450 million. Previously, as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Texas, she prosecuted healthcare companies and related individuals and negotiated plea agreements involving allegations of health care fraud, kickbacks, and violations of the FDCA.

Asha applies this enforcement perspective to help clients strengthen and test compliance programs to identify potential issues before they escalate. She emphasizes the value of using existing data to identify outliers, assess risk, and develop targeted monitoring strategies. When potential violations arise, she guides clients through internal investigations, evaluates legal and regulatory exposure, and helps determine appropriate corrective actions may be warranted, including voluntary self-disclosure.

Before entering government service, Asha advised healthcare and life sciences companies in private practice and completed in-house legal and compliance secondments at major pharmaceutical and medical device companies. These experiences gave her a practical understanding of the commercial pressures, operational demands, and competing priorities that influence legal and compliance decisions. Her background that spans enforcement, private practice, and in-house enables Asha to evaluate complex regulatory issues from multiple perspectives and develop solutions that account for both enforcement risk and business realities.

Approachable, responsive, and collaborative, Asha takes a team-oriented approach to client relationships. She works closely with legal, compliance, and business leaders to translate complex regulatory requirements into actionable guidance, helping organizations address immediate challenges while building sustainable compliance practices.