Julie R. Shank

Julie Shank has experience representing and counseling clients in a variety of complex matters. She practices in the areas of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinic Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act), cybersecurity and information privacy, business litigation and employment law.

Julie assists covered entities and business associates with all aspects of HIPAA and the HITECH Act, including audits, compliance and reporting, and responding to incidents involving breaches of Protected Health Information (PHI).  She assists clients with the use, disclosure, exchange, retention and destruction of health information.  Julie also reviews HIPAA business associate agreements.

Julie's experience with HIPAA, HITECH and PHI translates seamlessly to her cybersecurity and information privacy work, where she provides counsel on security risk assessment, data privacy policies and procedures, cyber incident response plans, compliance obligations and more. She also provides regulatory investigation and litigation services. 

From group health and disability plans to cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements, Julie also helps clients administer all types of ERISA health and welfare plans. She advises clients on the intricacies of HIPAA privacy and security obligations, COBRA and other ancillary rules that apply to plan administrators.

In addition, Julie defends employers in lawsuits involving age, disability and gender discrimination, wrongful discharge, Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the West Virginia Human Rights Act, the West Virginia Wage Payment and Collection Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Since 2014, Julie has been recognized for her work as a Rising Star in the field of business litigation by Super Lawyers magazine.  Julie received a trial advocacy certification in 2013 at the National Trial Advocacy College, University of Virginia College of Law.

• Graduate, Leadership Wheeling
• Completed the National Trial Advocacy College, University of Virginia

Representative Cases

• Long et al. v. M&M Transportation, LLC et al., 603 Fed. Appx. 238 (4th Cir. 2015) 
• Marcus v. Staubs, 230 W. Va. 127 (2012)
• Wilson v. Wilson, 227 W.Va. 157 (2010)
• Burgess v. Corporation of Shepherdstown, 2012 WL 6681875 (N.D. W. Va. 2010)

• Recognized by West Virginia Super Lawyers as a Rising Star (Business Litigation), 2014-present
• West Virginia University College of Law
• Recipient of CALI Award (recognition for achieving the highest grade in a particular subject):
• Religion and the Law

• West Virginia Municipal League, Municipal Attorney Association
• Defense Research Institute
• Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia
• Treasurer, Wheeling Health Right
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Former Pro Bono Defense Attorney, West Virginia Juvenile Drug Court Program
• Former Secretary, Eastern Panhandle Care Clinic
• Former Board Member, Horses with Hearts