Dennis Lee, Counsel
Dennis E. Lee was National Merit Finalist and graduated from Stanford University in three years in 1989 with Honors and with Distinction, which means that he completed a Senior Honors Thesis and was in the top 20% in his class and also within his major. As a student at Stanford, he served as a peer tutor to other undergraduates in calculus through Stanford’s Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and was Secretary of the local chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-educational service fraternity. He graduated from UCLA School of Law in 1992, where he was an Editor on the Journal of Environmental Law and graduated in the top 20 percent of his class. While still working as an attorney, he was admitted to the UCLA PhD program in Interdepartmental Neurosciences in 1994 where he was nominated for the Chancellor’s Fellowship. He subsequently obtained an M.S. degree from UCLA in physiological sciences in 1999. He has research experience in molecular biology and neuroimaging. He has published, with Professor Allan J. Tobin of UCLA (now emeritus), the article, Lee DE, Tobin AJ, “Reduced Inhibitory Capacity in Prefrontal Cortex of Schizophrenics,” Archives of General Psychiatry, v. 52, p. 267, April 1995. He is interested in a broad range of biological issues in the neurosciences, including cellular neurophysiology (where he has served as a teaching assistant to advanced undergraduates), molecular neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and imaging technology.
Dennis has worked with Henry R. Fenton and other attorneys in the field of healthcare law since 1995, primarily in litigation in administrative and civil matters. His clients have primarily been physicians, including hospitals and medical groups, along with other allied healthcare professionals like pharmacists and nurses. He has extensive experience with medical quality of care issues in the context of medical licensing actions by the Medical Board of California and in hospital peer review proceedings. He has extensive experience in all aspects of civil litigation, particularly appellate work. He has litigated in California state cases and in federal courts as well. He has an excellent track record of success in these actions.
His published appellate cases have included the seminal case of Potvin v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (2000) 22 Cal.4th 1060, which established the right of physicians to fair procedure prior to termination from managed care entities. Dennis was the attorney primarily responsible for the briefing in that case, which led to Henry R. Fenton being named one of California Lawyer magazine’s “Lawyers of the Year” in 1998.
Dennis’ other published cases include Florence Western Medical Clinic v. Bonta (2000) 77 Cal.App.4th 493 (involving the Department of Healthcare Services), Sahlolbei v. Providence Healthcare (2003) 112 Cal.App.4th 1137 (which established the right of physicians to remain on hospital medical staff pending the outcome of a peer review proceeding), Bode v. Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center (2009) 174 Cal.App.4th 1224 (affirming a trial court ruling setting aside the termination of a physician from medical staff for alleged mishandling of narcotics), and In re Pomona Valley Medical Group, Inc., 476 F.3d 665 (9th Cir. 2007) (adversary proceeding against a medical group in bankruptcy, brought by a physician). He is currently litigating the case of Lewis v. Superior Court before the California Supreme Court, Case No. S219811, petition for review granted November 17, 2014, which involves issues of physician-patient privacy.
Dennis assisted in the trial of Dr. Bode against L.A. Metropolitan Medical Center, which led to a $1.9 million judgment against the hospital.
Dennis obtained licensure to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2008, Registration Number 61975. He has recently joined Berliner Steffin Azod LLP as a patent attorney.
After a period of self-study, Dennis took the June 2015 MCAT exam and obtained a score of 522, which is in the 99th percentile.
Any testimonial or endorsement on this profile does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Previous results do not guarantee a similar outcome.