Heather’s practice focuses on health care and employment matters. With expertise in a wide variety of health law matters, Heather represents community hospitals and nursing homes; health care providers and provider groups; and other health care organizations or health related companies such as urgent cares, ambulatory surgery centers, and accountable care organizations in South Dakota and Minnesota.

Because regulations and legal fees can impose a significant cost burden, Heather’s passion is to offer big law expertise at South Dakota rates so that she can help keep costs low for her clients. As a result of this dedicated purpose and the high quality but cost effective legal work provided by the Woods Fuller Health Law Team, Heather represents most of the community hospitals in the region as well as the majority of the independent physician practices.

Heather also guides employers, ranging from publicly traded companies to small employers, in all areas of employment law. She enjoys helping her clients succeed as businesses, and she works to manage risk while facilitating that growth. Her representative clients are clients with whom she has long term relationships for this reason.

Heather was inducted into Best Lawyers of America for Health Care Law (2006) due to recognition as one of South Dakota’s preeminent health care lawyers. She has also been recognized by Chambers USA as leading attorney in Labor & Employment Law; listed in The Best Lawyers in America for 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in Health Care Law; and identified in Great Plains Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2013 and 2014. Heather was also recognized by 2017 Best Lawyers® “Women in the Law” for her work in health care law.

Heather is the chair of the Woods Fuller Health Law Team. Heather frequently is asked to speak to employment and health care groups, and she also is asked to be an expert witness on matters of health care law. She is a member of American Health Lawyers Association, Minnesota State Bar Association, and the State Bar of South Dakota.

In her personal life, Heather has been married to her husband Dave, a family practice physician, for over 20 years. They are raising four children—three sons and a youngest (not at all spoiled) daughter. They love to travel and took off four months in 2018 to travel around the world together as a family, visiting every inhabited continent and having many adventures.

Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith

Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith® is one of the region’s largest and most experienced legal teams. Our attorneys are experienced, knowledgeable and committed to providing high-quality legal representation.

With over 40 attorneys, we provide clients with representation ranging from business to litigation to family and personal needs. We are proud of our culture of collaboration and work efficiently to resolve the challenge or opportunity at hand. We proudly offer legal services rooted in the integrity and dedication that launched the firm over 130 years ago.