Melanie Rubinsky Shareholder
Melanie Rubinsky has been a Shareholder with Sprott Newsom Quattlebaum Messenger since 2019, focused on representing those in the healthcare industry. She has worked in the legal industry for over 37 years, more than 22 of which as an attorney. She has extensive experience representing physicians, chiropractors, dentists, pharmacists, counselors, physical therapists, nurses, and other medical professionals both in litigation, as well as before their respective licensing boards, including actions brought before the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings. She was involved in one of the largest cases ever brought by the Texas Medical Board against an individual physician before the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
Her healthcare practice includes representation of healthcare institutions, physicians, dentists, chiropractors, nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, licensed professional counselors and physician assistants in matters involving medical negligence, peer review, licensure, risk management, business disputes, contractual issues, regulatory compliance, government and private reimbursement issues, Federal Whistleblower litigation, Stark and Anti-Kickback matters, and employment related issues including medical staffing disputes. In addition, she has extensive experience working with healthcare industry clients to establish medical and dental practices, draft buy/sell agreements, non-compete agreements, establishing MSOs, and writing both medical and nursing policies and procedures for private practices, hospitals and long-term care facilities. Melanie also has experience with products liability including pharmaceutical and medical devices, as well as personal injury, premises liability, and employment related cases, including cases brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Melanie is admitted to practice in all Texas state courts, as well as the United States District Courts for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Government. Subsequently, she earned her law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. During law school, she served as Managing Editor of the Corporate Counsel Review and participated in various mock trial and moot court competitions. In 2002, she obtained her Masters of Laws and Letters (LLM) in Health Law from the University of Houston Law Center.
She is a member of the State Bar of Texas Health Law and Litigation Sections, serves on the Education Committee for the Greater Houston Society for Healthcare Risk Management, and is a member of the Houston Bar Association. She is also a fluent Spanish speaker. Outside of work, Melanie has a passion for animals and is a self-described “beach person,” who loves the ocean and everything water-related.
Practice Areas
- Healthcare Litigation
- Board Representation
- Texas Medical Board
- Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
- Texas Nursing Board
- Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners
- Texas State Board of Pharmacy
- Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors
- Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
- Texas Department of Licensure and Regulation
- Texas Department of State Health Services
- Products Liability
- Labor & Employment
Education
- University of Houston Law Center, Master in Laws and Letters (LLM) in Health Law, 2002
- Graduate Thesis: Are our Children Nothing More than Pediatric Guinea Pigs? Children as Subjects in Non-Therapeutic Clinical Research Trials
- South Texas College of Law Houston, Juris Doctor, 1998
- Corporate Counsel Review, Assistant Editor and Managing Editor
- Garland Walker Mock Trial Competition
- Spurgeon E. Bell Moot Court Tournament, 5th Best Brief Award; Quarter-Finalist
- Varsity Moot Court Team
- William F. Starr Insurance Law Moot Court Competition, Hartford, Connecticut, Oralist, Semi-Finalist
- Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity
- The University of Texas at Austin, Bachelor of Arts in Government with a Concentration in Spanish, 1983
- Sigma Delta Tau Sorority
- Texas Spooks
- Student Involvement Committee
- Texas Exes, Lifetime Member
Bar and Court Admissions
- Texas, 1999
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of Texas, Health Law Section and Litigation Section Member
- Greater Houston Society for Healthcare Risk Management, Education Committee Member
- Houston Volunteer Lawyers Association, Volunteer Counselor
- Houston Bar Association
- IDEA Committee Member, Former Chair
- Lawyers in Public Schools, Committee Member
- Speakers Bureau
Speaking Engagements
- Hospital-Acquired Conditions: How Can Hospitals Survive CMS’ New Regulations, American Society for Healthcare Risk Management Annual Conference, October 2-5, 2008, Boston, MA
Publications
- Ohio Supreme Court Expands the Physician-Patient Relationship, University of Houston Law Center Health Law & Policy Institute (2002)
- Demise of Death with Dignity?, University of Houston Law Center Health Law & Policy Institute (2002)
Community Involvement
- Sunshine Kids, Contributor