Arthur K. Hoffman
partner
Medical Malpractice & Professional Licensure,
44
Years Experience
1
Practice Areas
1
Locations
BIO
Arthur has practiced law for over 40 years, concentrating in civil and administrative litigation, with a focus on medical malpractice, health care, and professional licensure defense, representing hospitals, physicians, long term care facilities, nurses, physician extenders, and mental health professionals.
He has served as lead counsel in hundreds of cases involving a variety of complex medical issues in fields such as neurosurgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, internal and emergency medicine, and licensing disciplinary actions involving allegations of substance use, impairment, boundary issues, improper prescribing, and fraudulent conduct.
After graduating law school, Arthur spent a year in Jerusalem, Israel, drafting environmental statutes and regulations for the nation’s Environment Ministry. After completing this, Arthur returned to his hometown of Harrisburg, PA, where he served as an attorney for the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine, prosecuting physician disciplinary cases.
Prior to joining Thomas, Thomas & Hafer, LLP in 2007, Arthur was a partner with Duane Morris, LLP (1985 – 2002) and Kelly, Hoffman & Goduto, LLP (2002 – 2007).
EDUCATION
The George Washington University, J.D., 1979
Northwestern University, B.A., 1975
BAR ADMISSIONS
PA Supreme Court, 1980
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 1986
U.S. District Court, Middle District, PA 1985
Professional Honors & Awards
Best Lawyers in America – 2007-2024
– Medical Malpractice – Defense Lawyer of the Year, 2011
– Medical Malpractice – Defense Lawyer of the Year, 2022
Rated Distinguished by Martindale Hubbell
Publications:
- Fighting a Two-Front War: Defending a Physician’s Parallel Medical Malpractice Lawsuit and Professional Licensing Disciplinary Action”. Authored chapter in Pennsylvania Bar Institute textbook, “Advanced Concepts in the Defense of Licensed Medical Practitioners” (2015)
- Defending Professional Licensure Disciplinary Actions. Authored chapter in Pennsylvania Bar Institute textbook, Anatomy of a Professional Licensing Prosecution (2004 and 2005).
- Advocacy Before Administrative Law Judges. Authored chapter in Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE textbook, Ten Practice Tips for Advocacy Before the Hearing Examiners of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (2002).
- Defending Professional Licensure Disciplinary Actions. Authored chapter in Pennsylvania Bar Institute textbook, Litigating the Discipline of the Licensed Professional (2000).
- HIV: A Medical-Legal Handbook. Co-author of joint publication of The Pennsylvania Bar Association and The Pennsylvania Medical Society, May 11, 1995.
- The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986: an Explanation of Title III of SARA, 18 Environmental Law Reporter (Environmental Law Institute) 10,007 (1988).
- A Survey of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act, Pennsylvania Defense Institute Counterpoint, January 1988. Sanderson v. Bryan: Broad Peer Review Privilege Upheld, Pennsylvania Defense Institute Counterpoint, June 1987.
- The Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law: On the Verge of Implementation, Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association Monthly Bulletin: Special Report, November 1986.
Professional Presentations:
- Professional Licensing Investigations and Disciplinary Actions,
Geisinger Health System Grand Rounds CME Lecture, Danville, PA, March 30, 2018 - Advanced Concepts in the Defense of Licensed Medical Practitioners”, Course Planner and Speaker at Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE Course, Mechanicsburg, PA, November 17, 2015
- Defense of the Health Care Practitioner: Sex, Drugs, and Professional Licensure, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE Course, Mechanicsburg, PA, December 10, 2014
- Professional Licensing: Investigations, Disciplinary Actions and Remediations, Holy Spirit Hospital Grand Rounds CME Lecture, April 17, 2008
- The Cross Roads of Professional Liability Civil Actions, the MCARE Act, and Professional Licensure
Disciplinary Actions, PBI Health Law Institute CLE Course, Philadelphia, PA, March 12, 2008 - Defending Professional Licensure Disciplinary Actions, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE Course, Mechanicsburg, PA, December 7, 2005
- Anatomy of a Professional Licensing Prosecution, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE Course, Mechanicsburg, PA, April 29, 2004.
- Advocacy Before Administrative Law Judges – The View from Private Counsel, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE Course, Philadelphia, PA, July 10, 2002; Mechanicsburg, PA, August 20, 2002.
- Litigating the Discipline of the Licensed Professional, Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE Course, Mechanicsburg, PA, February 17, 2000.
- Professional Licensure, Administrative Law Symposium of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Hershey, PA, February 19, 1997.
- Confidentiality of Medical Records, Lorman Business Center, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, September 27, 1996.
- Independent Medical Examinations – A Defense Perspective, Keystone Legal Assistants Association, Mechanicsburg, PA, July 26, 1996.
- Utilization of Physician Assistants in Hospitals, presented at Taylor Hospital, Ridley Park, PA, May 22, 1996.
- Risk Management in the Pest Control Industry, presented at Annual Staff Meeting of J.C. Ehrlich Co., Inc., Reading, PA, March 16, 1994.
- Current Issues in Medical Staff Credentialing, Dauphin County Medical Society, Camp Hill, PA, November 11, 1993.
- Guidelines on HIV-Infected Health Care Workers, The Hospital Association of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, PA, December 8, 1992; King of Prussia, PA, December 15, 1992; Harrisburg, PA, December 16, 1992.
- Licensure and Malpractice – Strategies for Professional Counselors, Pennsylvania Counseling Association, Harrisburg, PA, November 15, 1992.
- Obtaining Medical Records as Evidence, Dauphin County Bar Association Lunch and Learn Series, December 10, 1991.
- The National Practitioner Data Bank: Legal Issues, Hospital Association of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Medical Society, Harrisburg, PA, May 25, 1990.
- Overview of SARA Title III, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Pittsburgh, PA, April 6, 1989; Valley Forge, PA, April 13, 1989.
- Medical Records Under Pennsylvania Law, Pennsylvania Medical Records Association, York, PA, December 9, 1988.
- Hazardous Materials Recordkeeping: Meeting the Right-to-Know Regulations, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, November 17-18, 1988.
- Right-to-Know Enforcement Activity: A Legal Perspective, Morton Thiokol, Corporate Health and Safety Conference, New Orleans, LA, October 12, 1988.
- Hazard Communication and Right-to-Know: Federal and State Developments, Pennsylvania Smaller Manufacturers Council, Harrisburg, PA, October 26, 1987.
- Medical Malpractice Crisis, Lehigh Valley Podiatry Association, Allentown, PA, May 21, 1987.
- Confidentiality: What’s the Verdict for your Hospital, The Hospital Association of Pennsylvania, Monroeville, PA, March 18, 1987; Valley Forge, PA, March 19, 1987.
- Confidentiality: What’s the Verdict for your Hospital, The Hospital Association of Pennsylvania, Monroeville, PA, March 18, 1987; Valley Forge, PA, March 19, 1987.
- Discoverability of Hospital Peer Review Activities, Central Pennsylvania Society of Quality Assurance Professionals, Harrisburg, PA, March 4, 1987.
- Status of Current Litigation Involving the Right-to-Know Law and Its Implications, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, King of Prussia, PA, November 3, 1986; Harrisburg, PA, November 5, 1986; Harrisburg, PA, December 4, 1986; Pittsburgh, PA, February 26, 1987.
- Optometrists and Medical Malpractice Risk, Central Pennsylvania Optometric Society, Harrisburg, PA, November 8, 1985
Professional Associations & Memberships
Cardozo Society