Hermes Fernandez

Hermes is co-chair of the firm's health care practice. He practices primarily in the areas of health law, administrative and regulatory law, related litigation and governmental representation.

Hermes has a particular affinity for assisting clients as they chart a course through unsettled law. He has handled numerous matters in health care fraud and abuse in the courts and in administrative hearings. Hermes has represented providers before and against the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General and the HHS Office of Inspector General, the Office of Professional Medical Conduct and the Office of Professional Disclosure.

Hermes has advised and represented health care providers on board governance, statutory and regulatory compliance, surveys and audits and fraud and abuse matters. He has established new health care providers, and represented providers through mergers and acquisitions. Hermes also has represented clients in a number of sanction and enforcement actions, and in trials, including defense of actions brought by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and in administrative proceedings in the State Education Department and State Department of Health. He also represents physicians and other licensed professionals in professional discipline matters.

Prior to joining Bond, Schoeneck & King in 1990, Hermes was Assistant Counsel to Governor Mario Cuomo, where he handled health and human services matters. On behalf of the Governor, he negotiated landmark health care legislation including the AIDS Confidentiality Law, the Do Not Resuscitate Law, and the Indoor Clean Air Act. Before coming to Albany, Hermes was a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Justice Department in Washington D.C. He began his career as law clerk to the Hon. John MacKenzie, then Chief Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia.

Hermes has lectured and published articles in the Health Law Journal, Government, Law and Policy Journal, Albany Law Review and the New York Law Journal.