Barnes & Thornburg’s Dallas Office Adds Litigators Castle And Welton

Dallas – Robert Castle and Jamie Welton, two experienced commercial litigators, have joined Barnes & Thornburg as partners in the firm’s Litigation Department. The two litigators primarily focus on complex disputes, particularly in the areas of healthcare, finance, and media, among other industries. Castle and Welton bring years of experience representing multiple types of healthcare providers, durable medical equipment (DME) manufacturers and distributors, implant manufacturers and distributors, and other healthcare companies across the country in a wide range of matters. Those matters include defending against qui tam suits brought under the False Claims Act, conducting internal investigations, handling appeals of claim denials at the state and federal levels, representing clients in civil and criminal government investigations, and providing business, regulatory, and compliance advice on contracts, relationships, and corporate structures and transactions, in addition to other complex issues that arise for providers and other healthcare companies in a rapidly, ever-changing healthcare landscape. In addition to healthcare matters, Castle and Welton have extensive experience on behalf of financial institutions, private wealth managers and advisors, celebrities and professional athletes, and advertising and media companies. “Rob and Jamie’s commercial background matches up well with the firm’s deep bench of litigators, which allows us to handle disputes wherever they arise,” said Mark Bayer, managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Dallas office. “Their arrival also underscores the continued success we’ve had in recruiting premier talent in one of the most competitive legal markets in the country.” “We are excited to team up with such a talented roster of healthcare professionals as well as have resources across the U.S. to best service and represent our clients,” said Castle. “It is clear that the firm is dedicated to Dallas and growing its footprint in the region, and we are excited to be part of that growth,” added Welton. Since opening in 2015, Barnes & Thornburg’s Dallas office has grown steadily through its strategic approach to recruitment and lateral hiring, most recently with the addition of IP litigator Mark Nelson. Five new associates have joined in the past two months, including corporate attorney Reid Johnson, intellectual property attorneys Daniel Valenzuela and Juanita DeLoach and healthcare attorney Matthew Agnew. The office now numbers 34 attorneys and staff, and to accommodate this growth, the firm will be moving to the new PwC Tower at Park District in September. About the Attorneys Robert Castle represents a diverse array of clients, including hospitals, hospices, home health agencies, long-term acute care facilities, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care providers, community care providers, pediatric home care providers, ambulatory surgery centers, physician groups, and individual physicians. His healthcare practice is nationwide and includes qui tam defense, civil and criminal government investigations, internal investigations, internal compliance review, billing audits, white collar criminal defense, hearings before administrative law judges, contract review, and medical board hearings and investigations, among other matters. Castle also has handled disputes for financial services institutions, private wealth managers and financial advisors, oil and gas companies, celebrities and professional athletes, and a variety of commercial businesses. Castle earned his J.D. from the Southern Methodist University School of Law, cum laude, where he also was elected to the Order of the Coif, and his B.A. from Texas Tech University, where he was on the President’s List every semester. Jamie Welton is experienced in state, federal, and appellate courts across the country, and his clients include financial institutions, healthcare providers, advertising and media companies, high net-worth individuals, bankruptcy trustees, receivers, and a variety of commercial businesses. Welton has secured some of the nation’s largest commercial jury verdicts and has several defense wins in cases where the damages sought exceeded $100 million. He also conducts internal investigations, responds to and defends government investigations and litigation, qui tam actions, and represents clients and trustees in administrative proceedings, bankruptcy litigation, appellate matters, and arbitration. Welton earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law, and his B.A. from the University of Illinois, where he was an Edmund James Scholar. With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from 14 offices in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, Texas and Washington, D.C.