Gary C. Norman, Esq.
4145 Falls Road
Baltimore MD 21211
Office (410) 786-6256 Cell (410) 241-6745

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of the Attorney Advisor (OAA)
Staff Attorney —full time September 2003 – Present

• Evaluate record evidence; evaluate legal trends and theories & arguments in reviewing decisions of Provider Reimbursement Review Board entailing a variety of administrative health care financing reimbursement disputes.
• Provide counsel and draft administrative decisions to Deputy Administrator of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Secretary of Health and Human Services in a variety of Medicare appeals from the Provider Reimbursement Review Board and the Medicare Geographical Classification Review Board.
• Provide recommendations for settlement of federal district court litigation of administrative decisions and coordinate settlement conferences

Division of Consumer Protection
Health Care Analyst—full time October 2002 – September 2003

• Drafted New Advance Beneficiary Notice & drafted National Counsel of Disability service animal air access problem and policy statement for access of service animals in airports.
• Formulated agency recommendations, resulting in counsel regarding advanced beneficiary Surrogate decision-making end of life care.
• Monitored legislation on abuse/neglect investigations and elder care health insurance Issues.

Office of the Attorney Advisor
Presidential Management Fellow— full time June 2002 – October 2002

• Conducted specialized research for Director of Office of the Attorney Advisor.
• Drafted counsel & administrative decisions – i.e. See Mt. Clemens General Hospital, Case No. 2002-D26; VNA Gregoria, Case No. 2002-D32.

Ohio, Cuyahoga County Department of Senior & Adult Services
Presidential Management Fellow— full time April 2002 – June 2002

• Evaluated and drafted opinions on: privacy and acquiring SSN’s during protective services investigation; privacy mandates of Ohio financial institutions; legislative options for protective adult services law and policy for statewide council.
• Advised ombudsman in criminal investigation related to nursing home resident death due to bedrails.
• Negotiated with Social Security Administration (SSA) and drafted an information request form and privacy disclosure.
• Provided case record review for Cuyahoga County Long Term Care Ombudsman.

Social Security Administration Office of the General Counsel
Presidential Management Fellow —full time November 2001 - April 2002

• Drafted motion for summary judgment which district court granted regarding determination of SSA disability benefits.
• Drafted administrative decision on receipt of SSI for prisoner while imprisoned.
• Advised SSA Policy Staff; drafted a compendium of the laws effecting SSA notices to beneficiaries and drafted an SSA disclosure form.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Center for Beneficiary Choices
Presidential Management Fellow— full time October 2000 - October 2001

• Drafted compliance and advisory documents on use of Part B mediation appeals process.
• Drafted advisory documents on the performance study of CMS State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) service delivery, oversight, terms and conditions.
• Issued advisories on HIPAA corporate compliance for SHIP.
• Drafted opinion and furnished counsel on how SHIPS can increase education to disabled beneficiaries.

Cleveland Works, Inc. Legal Intern to David Roth, Esq.—part time summers 1998, 1999

• Drafted testimony dealing with welfare policy.
• Met with community stakeholders in Senator’s office on welfare policy in Cleveland.
• Drafted complaints and answers, research memos, and performed docketing functions and conducted intake of clients in legal clinic.

EDUCATION

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (C-M) JD - May 2000

Wright State University BA (History & Political Science) - June 1997

LICENSES

Maryland bar License – June 2005

Ohio bar License - November 2000 (Attorney Registration No. 0072345)

MEDIATION EXPERIENCE

Maryland Commission on Human Relations

Registered Co-Mediator, November 2006 - Present

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services , Federal Sharing Neutrals Program,

Registered Co-Mediator, fall 2003 - Present

TRAINING

Health Care Arbitration, American Health Lawyers Association, June 2007

Transformative Mediation , U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Dispute Resolution Specialist, April 2006

Certification in CPR and First Aid , Baltimore Chapter of American Red Cross, September 2005 Advanced Mediation in Americans with Disabilities Act , Good Shepard Mediation Services, May 15-16, 2003

Court Approved Mediation Training, Maryland Institute of Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers (MICPEL) , March 2003

LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE

ABA-TIPS Animal Law Committee , ABA-TIPS Select Legal Panel on Emergency Management Regarding Animals, winter 2006, 2007

• Researched, considered and counseled on impact of legislation on service animal issues, and help to draft model legislation on abandoned animals during emergencies.
• Drafted model state legislation governing increased protection of donors to non-profits.

Testimony :

• Maryland Health & Governmental Operations Committee on HB No.1457 – MD Service Animal Act, winter 2006

• Maryland House Judiciary Committee On HB No. 11, Animal Cruelty, Winter 2006

• Maryland General Assembly Senate Education, Health & Environmental Affairs Committee on SB 63 Election Law Voting Systems for Independent Verification of Accuracy, Feb. 2005
  
• Maryland House Judiciary Committee, Feb. 2004
  
• Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Feb. 2004

Legislation:

• Drafted, worked with legislators to have bill introduced & co-sponsored, & led coalition and passage of HB No. 505, Maryland Service Animal Reform Act April 2007 and 2005
  
• Drafted, had sponsored & led coalition to enact bills in 2004 and 2005 to protect guide dogs from theft and malicious injuries, Langer’s Law Winters 2004-2005

ACCOLADES & SCHOLARSHIPS

Presidential Management Fellowship, Sept. 2000 – Dec. 2002

Social Security Administration Commendatory Letter of Performance – Ap. 2002

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Department of Senior and Adult Services, Commendatory Letter of Performance - 2002

Who's Who among American College & Univ. Students – Apr. 2000

C-M Alumni Assoc. Scholarships - Spring 1999 & 2000

C-M Mary Ann Bagus Memorial Scholarships - 1997-2000

C-M Leo Roseman Honor for Civic Achievement –May 1999

Opportunities for the Blind Scholarships 1997-2000

Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity - 1999

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Disabled Person of the Year – 1999

C-M Pro Bono Award - 1999 & 2000

Golden Key National Honors Society, spring 1996, and Phi Alpha Theta, spring 1996

Blind College Student of the Year by the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired fall 1995

SPEECHES

13th Annual Wilmer Technicians Course, John Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, Mar. 15, 2008

Presented at Public Fire and Life Safety Educator Seminar: Interaction and Education of People with Disabilities Mar. 8, 2008

A Dialogue with a Guide Dog Team, Hampden Branch, Pratt Free Library, Feb. 9, 2008

Colloquia on Guide Dog Policy, Baltimore Cosmopolitan Club, Dec. 20, 2007

Guest Lecturer before Univ. Baltimore MD Campus on Accessible Voting, Apr. 2006

Disability Policy Seminar sponsored by HalfthePlanet.com, Jan. 2004

Cleveland State Univ. President's Annual Fund Student Speaker - Fall 1998

Ashland Univ. Teacher Continuing Education Courses Guest Speaker 1993-1997

PUBLICATIONS

Forth-coming, Guide Dogs, American Encyclopedia of Disability History, 2009

Forth-coming, Accessible Pedestrian Signals, American Encyclopedia of Disability History , 2009

Blind Attorney Selected As American Marshall Memorial Fellow: Using Unique Opportunity to Educate Organizations on Disability Dialogue, Mar.-Apr. 2008

Identity Theft, a Growing Concern, Md. B. Bulletin Nov. 2007

UMC Has Unique Opportunity to be Inclusive, UM Connection Vol. 18, No. 16 Sept. 19, 2007

Adapting Sports for the Mobility Impaired, Md. B. Bulletin Sept. 2007

Practice Tip: Service Animals and the Law, Md. B. J., Vol. XXXX, No. 5, pp. 56-59 Aug.-Sept. 2007

Health Care for Service Animals, ADI News’ l. Vol. 19, Issue 3 Sept. 2007

Giving Pets and Service Animals Shelter from the Storm, Md. B. Bulletin Apr. 2007

Local Advocacy at Its Best: Community Advocates from Baltimore’s Ronald McDonald House, Inc. /ACB Representatives Learn from One Another, Braille Forum, Vol. XVL #7 Mar. 2007

Co-author, Blind Pedestrian Safety, Baltimore County Police Informer, fall 2005

Cover Those Paralympics, Dialogue, fall 2004

Rowing for the Visually Impaired: One Person's Story , US Rowing Dec. – Jan 2003-04,

Reprinted Teamwork Builds Self-confidence, Fitness, Braille Forum, Vol. XLII, No 8, Apr.-May 2004

How You Can Conform to the ADA , Maryland Hospitality, Dec. - Jan. 2003 - 04

Columnist for the Charger, Civil War Round Table of North East Ohio, 1998 - 2000

Staff Columnist for the C-M Gavel, 1998 – 2000

Professional Activities and OrganizationsMaryland State bar Association Special Committee on Editorial Advisory June 2007-- June 2008

Section Counsel to Board of Maryland State bar Association Animal Law Section June 2007—June 2009

Maryland State Bar Association Leadership Academy Fellow May 2006 – June 2007

Designed and implemented public service project of Summit on Youth Violence. Co-author of Report – Listening To the Leaders of Tomorrow & drafted all public relations materials. Provided opening remarks. Raised 15% of total budget. Acquired 50% of guests to town hall forum, influential in acquiring facilitators.

Board of Directors of American Visually Impaired Attorneys Association , 2004 - Present

As 2007-2008 Program Chairs, organized international conference and other seminars; led policy development, served as point-of-contact with disabled law students.

General Counsel of the Maryland State Animal Response Team Fall 2007 – Present

Student Senator , C-M Student Bar Association, 1998-2000

Disability Advocacy and Education

Advisory Board for Maryland Department of Disabilities Project on Individual and Family Disaster Readiness Dec. 13, 2007 - present

Advisory Board for DOE NIDDR Project on Evacuation Methodology and Understanding Behavior of Persons with Disabilities in Disasters Dec. 2007 – Present

CEO & President Maryland Area Guide Dog Users Inc ., October 2002 - Present

Baltimore City Mayor’s Citation recognizing community education efforts October 20, 2007; Led establishment of website; led legislative coalition to defeat HB No. 1457 in Winter 2006; organized and conducted policy seminar in Summer 2006; organized and held fundraising gala to bring exposure to organization and the constituencies it serves in Fall 2006; advocated for legal rights of animals; furnished counsel and led pedestrian safety project; coordinated and established pilot Baltimore County Fire Department ambulance service; negotiated and obtained group veterinarian insurance benefit for national organization; formulated strategic plans and coalesced teams, facilitated trainings; drafted incorporation documents; published articles, provided and drafted technical assistance documents, such as model policy for hospitals; spoke to public entities and drafted, coordinated and led legislative efforts.

Board of Directors of American Council of the Blind of Maryland , 2002 - Present

Serve as legal counsel and strategist; drafted public comments on proposed regulations and of organization’s testimony on proposed legislation impacting the visually impaired; testified on legislation; serve as organization representative to MD Department of Disabilities on disaster preparedness; serve as member of fund-raising and program committee and developed and obtained topics and speakers for state convention.

Board of Directors National Council for Support of Disability Issues, 2005 – 2007, Vice President, 2007 – Present

Legal Department Chair, serve as legal counsel and strategist, provide pro bono legal consulting to members in need, drafted public comments on proposed regulations and of organization's testimony on proposed legislation impacting people with all types of disabilities, testified on legislation affecting people with disabilities, collaborated with writing children's stories to help them understand people with disabilities.

MDOD Special Advisory Committee on Persons with Disabilities & Emergency Preparedness , 2004 - Present

Provided counsel and advocated to ensure access to screen messaging about disasters; participated in disaster preparedness drills to educate EMS about service animals; provided comment to state plans, worked with Department to develop policies on service animals, facilitated meetings, met with stakeholders and Johns Hopkins University to educate about communication issues impacting persons with disabilities relative to emergency preparedness; appeared in videos about persons with disabilities for Baltimore County Fire Department and for Home Land Security grant-based state training campaign.

Community Activities and Organizations

Delegate of Good Shepherd Church, UMC, to Annual Conference of Baltimore/Washington Region of United Methodist Church May 2008

Executive Committee of the Baltimore Rowing Club , January - November 2004

Director representing legal counsel and public relations such as Learn to Row Day.
Drafted contract for corp. fitness/wellness program.
Was featured in Health Section of Baltimore Sun, Nov. 2, 2004.
Furnished counsel on implementing blind novice program.

References on Request