DSR WELCOMES COLBY F. STAPLETON TO ITS HEALTH CARE TEAM
Colby Stapleton joins DSR as an Associate specializing in health care law. She joined DSR as a summer law clerk in 2023 and has been part of the firm ever since.
Colby earned her bachelor’s degree from Harvard where she was a member of the varsity women’s water polo team during her first year. Colby obtained her J.D. from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings).
DSR is pleased to welcome Colby as we continue to expand our team of attorneys to enhance the firm’s capacity to serve the legal needs of our valued clients.
DSR HEALTH LAW PROMOTES TWO ATTORNEYS TO ITS PARTNERSHIP
DSR Health Law (“DSR”) is pleased and proud to announce the promotion of two of its attorneys, Darcy L. Muilenburg and Lisa J. Mayberry, to Partner. Both Darcy and Lisa are experienced litigators and have been long-time attorneys at DSR. They have well-rounded backgrounds in all facets of civil litigation and arbitration proceedings.
Darcy focuses her practice on representing commercial and governmental health plans in complex payor-provider disputes involving, among other things, contractual payment terms, as well as out-of-network rate disputes. Darcy’s background includes briefing health care issues for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Supreme Court as counsel for amicus curiae.
Lisa represents health plans in government investigations, enforcement actions, administrative appeals, Medi-Cal state fair hearings, and payor-provider disputes. As a former enforcement attorney for the Department of Managed Health Care, Lisa is well-versed in regulatory compliance, including requirements and enforcement under the Knox-Keene Act.
The two new partners personify DSR’s culture of exclusively focusing on the legal needs of health plans and health insurers. DSR congratulates Darcy and Lisa and looks forward to their continued contributions to the success of the firm.
DSR IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF WOMEN LAWYERS OF SACRAMENTO’S ARTFEST
DSR is proud to sponsor ArtFest 2025, presented by Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS).
This spectacular gathering not only showcases the incredible talent of Sacramento’s local artists, but also serves as WLS’s premier fundraising event. All ArtFest proceeds support qualified law students through scholarships and provide grants to local organizations dedicated to enriching the greater Sacramento community.
ArtFest guests will enjoy delicious food and drinks, music, and a silent auction involving noteworthy local artists. To learn more, visit here.
DSR WELCOMES NITIKA NITASHNI TO ITS HEALTH CARE TEAM
DSR is pleased to announce the addition of Nitika Nitashni to its health care team. Nitika joins the firm as a Litigation Associate with experience in both civil and administrative law.
Prior to joining DSR, Nitika was an enforcement attorney in the Office of Enforcement at the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC). During her time at DMHC, Nitika investigated and prosecuted violations of the Knox-Keene Act, focusing on health plan compliance with regulatory requirements related to access to care, grievance and appeals procedures, utilization management, and emergency services.
We are thrilled to welcome Nitika to DSR as we continue to grow our team of talented attorneys to enhance the depth and range of services offered to our clients. Nitika’s complete bio may be viewed here.
DSR NAMED ONE OF SACRAMENTO’S BEST PLACES TO WORK
For the sixth consecutive year, DSR Health Law has been named one of the Best Places to Work by the Sacramento Business Journal.
The Sacramento Business Journal honors organizations where voices are heard, company culture thrives, and employees are engaged. Honorees are determined exclusively on the basis of employee surveys which measure factors such as satisfaction with career growth and development, leadership effectiveness, and work-life balance. Survey scores are reviewed and evaluated by a third-party company.
This recognition reflects DSR’s commitment to fostering a workplace where employees feel supported, valued, and engaged in the work they perform every day.
DSR ATTORNEYS SELECTED AS 2025 SUPER LAWYERS & RISING STARS
Congratulations to the ten DSR attorneys honored as 2025 Northern California Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, and Top 100! They are each recognized for their exceptional work in health care law.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SUPER LAWYERS
- Michael J. Daponde
- Megan A. Rowe
- Eunice C. Majam-Simpson
- Anthony R. Eaton
- Darcy L. Muilenburg
- M. Kathleen Gallagher
- Lisa J. Mayberry
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RISING STARS
TOP 100 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SUPER LAWYERS
Super Lawyers is a research-driven rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of lawyers in the state are selected to the Super Lawyers list and only 2.5 percent are selected to the Rising Stars list.
Check out the complete 2025 lists published in Super Lawyers magazine here.
TEN DSR ATTORNEYS HONORED AS 2024 SUPER LAWYERS & RISING STARS
Congratulations to the DSR attorneys honored as 2024 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. They are each recognized for their exceptional work in health care law.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SUPER LAWYERS
- Michael J. Daponde (also selected to the 2024 Northern California Top 100 list)
- Megan A. Rowe
- Eunice C. Majam-Simpson
- Anthony R. Eaton
- Darcy L. Muilenburg
- M. Kathleen Gallagher
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RISING STARS
The multi-phase selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. Only 5% of lawyers in the state are selected to the annual Super Lawyers list and only 2.5% are selected to the Rising Stars list.
Check out the full 2024 lists published in Super Lawyers magazine here.
DSR WELCOMES ATTORNEY, REESE E. HAYWARD, TO ITS HEALTH CARE TEAM
DSR is pleased to announce that Reese Hayward recently joined the firm as an Associate. Reese specializes in health plan regulatory compliance and transactional matters.
Prior to DSR, Reese worked at a global law firm representing some of the top health systems in California as well as individual providers in the surgical, dental, and behavioral health spaces. He advised clients on a variety of matters including achieving clinical licensure and the stewardship of governmental funds through Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute compliance.
Reese earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco and he obtained his J.D. from Loyola Law School. For more details, check out his bio here.
DSR IS A PROUD SUPPORTER UC DAVIS SCHOOL OF LAW
In support of DSR’s King Hall School of Law alumni, DSR is proud to serve as a sponsor for the King Hall Legal Foundation’s (KHLF) 15th Annual Golf Tournament. This event will be held on March 15 at the Wildhorse Golf Club in Davis. The tournament importantly serves as one of KHLF’s main funding sources for student grants this year.
KHLF is a non-profit organization operated and managed by King Hall students. KHLF is dedicated to promoting public interest projects and addressing the needs of those without access to adequate legal representation.
DSR PROUDLY SUPPORTS AND SPONSORS WLS AND SCBA
DSR is pleased to serve as a sponsor for the International Women’s Day luncheon, co-hosted by Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS) and the Sacramento County Bar Association (SCBA).
This sold out event will feature a panel of accomplished women from the local legal community and will be moderated by Justice Shama Mesiwala.