A Bird Marella trial team—led by partners Ekwan Rhow and Julia Cherlow, alongside counsel Kate Shin and associates Heejin Hwang and Sophie Kosmacher—secured a landmark jury verdict awarding over $510 million in damages to Saint Mary’s Health Network.
On September 26, 2025, a jury in Nevada’s Second Judicial District Court awarded Bird Marella’s client one of the largest verdicts in healthcare litigation history, after finding Universal Health Services of Delaware, Inc. (UHS) and affiliated defendants committed intentional tortious misconduct in a coordinated scheme against Saint Mary’s Health Network during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Derrick Glum, the CEO of Saint Mary’s Health Network, stated, “The actions at the center of this case disrupted continuity of care and put families at risk. This ruling reinforces the principle that patient care must always come before personal or corporate gain.”
Dr. Prem Reddy, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Prime Healthcare (Saint Mary’s parent company) added, “This case is about more than one hospital, it is about accountability and integrity in American healthcare, and we commend the judicial system for bringing truth to light. This ruling is a victory for patients and communities, affirming that accountability and integrity are the foundation of healthcare.”
Bird Marella’s trial team also credits partner Fanxi Wang, counsel Marc Masters, paralegals Pamela Moore, Tamara Sybel, and Rachel Capata, and legal assistants Bora Lee, Rebekah Flores, Karen Minutelli, and Sandy Palmieri for their instrumental help in this victory. The firm’s team was supported by local counsel Mark Simons and Duncan Burke at Simons Hall Johnston PC in Reno, Nevada.
“I am immensely proud of our trial team for managing an extremely complex case and securing this verdict for our client,” shared partner Ekwan Rhow.
Partner Julia Cherlow added, “After nearly five years of hard-fought litigation, we couldn’t be happier for this monumental result.”
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