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Pamela Bucy Pierson

Attorney Bio

Pamela Bucy Pierson

Pamela Bucy Pierson, Of Counsel at FBW, is a nationally recognized authority in white collar crime, health care fraud and the civil False Claims Act. Pam is the Bainbridge Mims Emeritus Professor of Law and Research Professor of Law at the University of Alabama School of Law, where she teaches white collar crime, corporate compliance and civil RICO.
As a law professor at the University of Alabama since 1987, Pam developed one of the first courses in white collar crime in legal education; her case book, White Collar Practice, has been adopted and used nationwide since 1992. Pam has testified before Congress three times as an expert witness on health care fraud, the civil False Claims Act and civil RICO, and throughout her academic career served as an expert witness, consultant, or of counsel to national law firms on matters of white collar crime, the civil False Claims Act or civil RICO.

Pam’s treatise, Health Care Fraud: Enforcement and Compliance, Federal Criminal Law and Related Civil Causes of Action, first published in 1996 and updated semi-annually, is a leading authority on health care fraud. Her treatise, Federal Criminal Law and Related Actions, was one of the first treatises to cover federal white collar crimes. Pam has authored over fifty articles in the area of white collar crime, including most recently, with FBW attorney, Ben Bucy, Trade Fraud: The Wild, New Frontier of White Collar Crime.

Throughout her academic career, Pam has been a frequent speaker about white collar crime, the civil False Claims Act and health care fraud at programs presented by the ABA Sections on Criminal Justice, Business Law, Government Contracts, and ABA National Institutes on Health Care Fraud, Civil False Claims Act, and White Collar Crime. At the invitation of the FBI, the U. S. Department of Justice, the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Investigative Units, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, respectively, Pam has spoken on health care fraud investigation strategies at training sessions for FBI Special Agents, federal prosecutors, assistant attorneys general, and BCBS fraud investigators. At the invitation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, Pam served on the Institute’s Corporate Criminal Liability Task Force.

Pam has been a frequent commentator on white collar isssues for the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg News, and National Public Radio. She was recognized as a national expert in white collar law in Women Lead the Way in White Collar Law, The New York Times (April 2, 2103).
Prior to joining the University of Alabama law school faculty, Pam served for seven years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, Criminal Division, specializing in white collar and health care fraud prosecutions.  As an AUSA, Pam established and served as coordinator of the Health Care Fraud Task Force for the EDMO and as an instructor in appellate advocacy for the U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute.

Throughout her career, Pam has been active in public interest and pro bono, serving as Chair of the Pro Bono Committee for the Alabama State Bar, and establishing and serving as director of the Public Interest Institute at the University of Alabama School of Law. She has been recognized for her public interest work with numerous awards by the Alabama State Bar and by the University of Alabama School of Law.

Pam has been recognized as outstanding alumnus by both her law school and college, awarded the highest recognition presented by the University of Alabama for research as well as teaching. Pam has been elected as a member of the American Law Institute, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a fellow of the Alabama Law Foundation. Committed to helping her students find personal and professional success, Pam developed a law school course and a series of online CLEs, and authored two books and several articles on resilience and stress hardiness in the legal profession. Students at UA law school have chosen Pam as the outstanding law professor seven times and recognized her with numerous other awards for service.

Pam graduated from Austin College, Sherman Texas, 1975, Phi Beta Kappa, and from Washington University School of Law, 1978, Order of the Coif. She clerked for the Honorable Theodore McMillian, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upon graduating from law school. She is the proud parent of four children and grandparent of four grandchildren. Pam and her husband, Larry, enjoy cycling and hiking throughout the U.S. and internationally.

  • Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri, J.D. 1978; Order of the Coif.
  • Austin College, Sherman, Texas, B.A. 1975; Phi Beta Kappa.

Frohsin Barger & Walthall (October 1, 2018 to present)

  • Of Counsel

University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, Alabama (1987 to present)

  • Bainbridge-Mims Emeritus Professor of Law and Research Professor of Law, 2017 to present; Bainbridge-Mims Professor of Law, 1993-2017; Professor of Law, 1992-1993; Associate Professor of Law, 1989-1992; Assistant Professor of Law, 1987-1989

United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri

  • Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal Division); St. Louis, Missouri (1980-1987)

Law Firm of Thompson & Mitchell

  • Associate, St. Louis, Missouri (1979-1980)

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

  • Law Clerk, Honorable Theodore McMillian, St. Louis, Missouri (1978-1979)

BOOKS

  • Pierson, Thriving in the Legal Profession: Three Pillars of Success (with Minturn and Reich) (West Academic 2018)
  • Pierson Bucy, The Business of Being a Lawyer (West Academic 2014)
  • Bucy, White Collar Crime, Cases and Materials (West 3d ed. 2004; 2d ed. 1998; 1st ed. 1992); Supplements (1994, 2000); Teacher’s Manual (1992, 1998, 2004);
  • Bucy, Federal Criminal Law and Related Civil Causes of Action (with Beale and Welling) (West 1998); Supplements (1999, 2000);
  • Bucy, Health Care Fraud: Criminal, Civil and Administrative Law (Law Journal Seminars Press 1996) (semi-annual updates) (In 1998, joined by three authors: Robert Fabrikant, Paul Kalb and Mark Hopson, and book retitled, Health Care Fraud, Enforcement and Compliance).

LAW REVIEW ARTICLES

BAR JOURNAL AND SHORT ARTICLES

ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLES

  • Bucy, Corporate Criminal Liability, Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice (MacMillian 2000).

VIDEO PROGRAMS

  • Pierson, The Business of Being a Lawyer (West Academic, 2018) (Thirteen one-hour CLE/law school programs)
  • Advisory Board, Bureau National Affairs, Health Care Fraud Report (1995-2000)
  • Editorial Board, Health Care Fraud Newsletter (LJSP) (1998 to 2000)
  • Reviewer, Fraud: The Hidden Cost of Health Care (Health Insurance Association of America) (1998).

Quoted on issues of criminal law and white collar crime in newspapers throughout the United States including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Interviewed on matters of white collar crime and health care fraud by National Public Radio, “All Things Considered” and “Talk of the Nation”; Recognized N.Y. Times (April 2, 2013). Women Lead the Way in White Collar Law, article by in Peter J. Henning.

  • July, 2017: Presentation on Stress Hardiness in the Legal Profession, Business Section, Alabama State Bar Annual Meeting
  • July, 2016: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, Alabama State Bar, Annual Meeting
  • January, 2016: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, Alabama State Bar, Leadership Forum.
  • December, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, Alabama State Bar, Leadership Forum Section.
  • July, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, SEALS, Boca Raton, Florida.
  • June, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, DRI (International Defense Attorneys Association; speaking on a program with Laura Proctor, UA Law Grad), Nashville, Tennessee.
  • May, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, Young Lawyers Section, Alabama State Bar, Perdido Beach, Alabama.
  • April, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer to Business Section, Alabama State Bar, Burr & Forman, LLP, Birmingham, Alabama.
  • April, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, 2015 Leadership Class, Alabama State Bar, Montgomery, Alabama.
  • April, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, A&M School of Law, Fort Worth, Texas.
  • April, 2015: Presentation on Business of Being a Lawyer, Austin College, Sherman, Texas (Phi Beta Kappa Induction Ceremony).
  • February, 2015: Panel participant: Trends in Federal Law, Dr. Kenneth Street Law Symposium, Austin College, Sherman, Texas.
  • December 2014: Program Chair and Presenter, CLE Alabama, “The Business of Being a Lawyer,” Birmingham, Alabama.
  • September, 2014: Speaker, Fourth Amendment, Federal Public Defenders, N.D. AL, Quarterly CLE, Birmingham, Alabama.
  • July, 2014: Panelist, Annual Alabama State Bar Meeting, Opening Plenary Session, The Future of the Profession and Moderator, Panel on Future of the Profession for Young Lawyers, Sponsored by Young Lawyers and Leadership Forum Sections
  • May, 2014: Speaker, Alabama State Bar, Leadership Forum, “The Business of Being a Lawyer.”
  • December, 2010: Speaker, Bench and Bar Conference, Mobile Bar Association, “The Business of Being a Lawyer.”
  • July, 2010: Speaker, The Australian National University School of Law, Faculty Presentation: “The False Claims Act in the United States,” Canberra, Australia.
  • July, 2010: Speaker, The Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University, Faculty Presentation: “A Civil False Claims Act for Australia?” Canberra, Australia.
  • April, 2009: Speaker, Georgetown Law Center, Program: Corporate Criminal Law Conference, Washington, DC.
  • April, 2009: Speaker, ABA, Criminal Justice Section, Program: “Ethics, Politics and Public Corruption,” Birmingham, Alabama.
  • March, 2009: Speaker at the Austin College Law Symposium, “Earl Warren, The Man and His Court,” Sherman, Texas.
  • February, 2009: Speaker, “Ethical Issues for Lawyers Who Represent Banks,” Alabama State Bar Continuing Legal Education, Birmingham, Alabama.
  • August, 2008: Speaker on False Claims Act, ABA Annual Meeting, New York, New York.
  • July, 2008: Moderator, ABA Teleconference on the False Claims Act.
  • May, 2007: Speaker, ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • March, 2007: Speaker, Georgetown Business Ethics Institute, Washington, D.C. (spoke on corporate criminal liability).
  • February, 2007: Speaker, Distinguished Speakers Series, St. Louis University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri (spoke on trends in health care fraud).
  • November, 2006: Speaker, South Alabama Trial Lawyers Seminar, Mobile, Alabama (spoke on the civil False Claims Act).
  • November, 2006: Speaker, ABI-CLE: White Collar Practice, Birmingham, Alabama (spoke on trends in white collar law).
  • October, 2006: Speaker, ABI-CLE: Hot Topics in Litigation, Birmingham, Alabama (spoke on fraud in government contracting).
  • October, 2006: Speaker, Sixth Annual Taxpayers Against Fraud Conference, Washington, D.C. (spoke on future expansion for the civil False Claims Act).
  • September, 2006: Keynote Speaker, Southeastern Health Care Fraud Institute, Atlanta, Georgia.
  • May, 2006: Speaker, ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • March, 2006: Speaker, Federalism and Fraud Symposium, Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York.
  • November, 2005: Speaker on White Collar Crime, ABI-CLE, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
  • October, 2005: Presentation on White Collar Crime, Washington University, Professor Kathleen Brickey’s class on white collar crime.
  • June, 2005: Commentator, National Public Radio, Talk of the Nation (speaking on white collar convictions).
  • January, 2005: Speaker, 2005 Annual Meeting, American Association of Law Schools, San Francisco, CA.
  • June, 2004: Speaker, ABA National Institute on Civil False Claims Act, Washington, D.C.
  • May, 2004: Speaker, ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • April, 2004: Speaker, White Collar Criminal Law in Comparative Perspective: The Sarbannes-Oxley Act of 2003, Sponsored by Buffalo Criminal Law Review, Buffalo, New York.
  • March, 2004: Participant, National Bar Examiners, Criminal Law and Procedure Drafting Committee.
  • February, 2004: Moderator of Panel, “Experiences in States,” Alabama State Bar Program on “Indigent Defense in Alabama.”
  • November, 2003: Chair of Planning Committee, Presider, and Moderator of Panel: “Hot Topics”: ABI-CLE day-long program, “Business Clients and Investigations.”
  • September 2003: Speaker on “Civil Remedies to Pursue Health Care Fraud,” National Attorney General’s Conference for Directors of Medicaid Fraud Control Units, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • May 2003: Speaker on White Collar Crime, ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • January 2003: Speaker on Health Care Fraud, ABA National Institute on the Civil False Claims Act, Washington, D.C.
  • December 2002: Presentation to Alabama Attorney General’s White Collar Crime Commission, Montgomery, Alabama.
  • November 2002: CLE to United States Attorney’s Office, N.D. AL (on the Sarbannes-Oxley Act), Birmingham, Alabama.
  • November 2002: Keynote Luncheon Speaker, “Lawyers Who Make A Difference,” Mobile Bar Association, Mobile, Alabama.
  • November 2002: Presentation on the False Claims Act, Lorman Educational Services, Birmingham, Alabama.
  • May 2002: Speaker at ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, San Francisco, California.
  • November 2001: Speaker at ABA National Institute on the Civil False Claims Act, Washington, D.C.
  • January 2001: Speaker on Corporate Criminal Liability, Cumberland School of Law CLE, Birmingham, Alabama.
  • October 2000: Faculty Presentation at Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri.
  • September 2000: Speaker, “White Coats and White Collar: Crimes, Fraud & Bankruptcies,” Federal Judicial Center CLE for U.S. Bankruptcy Judges, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
  • June 2000: Speaker on White Collar Crime at Alabama State Bar’s Defense Attorneys’ Annual Meeting, San Destin, Florida.
  • June 2000: Speaker on Private Attorney Generals at AALS Criminal Justice Section Meeting, Washington, D.C.
  • May 2000: Speaker on Civil RICO and the False Claims Act, Alabama State Bar Annual Young Lawyers’ Meeting, San Destin, Florida.
  • March 2000: Speaker on Health Care Fraud at ABA National Institute on White Collar Crime, Miami, Florida.
  • January 2000: Speaker on the False Claims Act and Health Care Fraud at ABA National Institute on the False Claims Act, Washington, D.C.
  • August 1999: Speaker on Criminal Liability of Professionals at ABA Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
  • July 1999: Moderator on Basic Issues of Law, Alabama State Bar Annual Meeting.
  • April 1999: Speaker on Health Care Fraud; Symposium, St. Louis University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri.
  • December 1998: Speaker on the False Claims Act, ABI-CLE, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
  • November 1998: Speaker on the False Claims Act and Quality of Care, ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Washington, D.C.
  • October 1998: Speaker on the False Claims Act, ABI-CLE, Birmingham, Alabama.
  • July 1998: Moderator, Panel on Basic Issues of Law, Alabama State Bar Annual Meeting, Perdido Beach, Alabama.
  • January 1998: Chair, Planning Committee, Alabama Bar Institute, Continuing Legal Education, Birmingham, False Claims Act; spoke on the False Claims Act and health care fraud.
  • October 1997: Commentator, National Public Radio, The Law Show (spoke on health care fraud).
  • October 1997: Speaker, National Press Club, Corporate Crime Conference, Washington, D.C.; spoke on health care fraud.
  • August 1997: Annual ABA Meeting, Section on Business Law, San Francisco, California; spoke on health care fraud.
  • June 1997: Testimony on Health Care Fraud: United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (Committee on Government Affairs).
  • May 1997: Annual Blue Cross and Blue Shield National Anti-Fraud and Internal Audit Conference, Phoenix, Arizona; spoke on fraud in managed care.
  • May 1997: ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Miami, Florida; spoke on health care fraud.
  • January 1997: Featured on The Law Show, National Public Radio. Topic: Health Care Fraud.
  • January 1997: ABA Southeast Regional Meeting on Health Care Fraud, Atlanta, Georgia; spoke on health care fraud and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
  • October 1996: Cumberland School of Law CLE, Birmingham, Alabama; spoke on health care fraud.
  • July 1996: Moderator, Basic Issues of Law program presented by Volunteer Lawyers Program, Alabama State Bar Annual Meeting.
  • June 1996: ABA, Section on Government Contracts, Washington, D.C.; spoke on civil and criminal prosecution, public and private, of health care fraud.
  • May 1996: ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Miami, Florida; coordinated 10 workshops on various issues concerning health care fraud.
  • January 1996: Moderator, AALS program sponsored by sections of Criminal Justice, Minority Law Teachers, and Women in Law; San Antonio, Texas.
  • September 1995: Presentation on Evidence Used in Health Care Fraud Prosecutions, to Special Agents, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville, Tennessee.
  • July 1995: Moderator, Panel on Women in the Legal Profession: The Male Perspective; Alabama State Bar Annual Meeting.
  • October 1994: ABA Southeast Region Subcommittee, White Collar Crime Committee, CLE-Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia; Panelist on Ethical Issues in Corporate Investigations and on Health Care Fraud.
  • October 1994: Moderator, Panel on Punitive Damages, Alabama State Bar, Task Force on Women in the Profession.
  • October 1994: National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, San Diego; spoke on fraud in managed care.
  • February 1994: ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Phoenix, Arizona; served as Moderator, Panel on “Health Care Reform and Fraud By Health Care Providers.”
  • October 1993: Annual Meeting, National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units; Presentations: “Future Trends in Fraud By Health Care Providers” and “Evidence Used in Health Care Fraud Prosecutions.”
  • September 1993: Medicare Fraud and Abuse Networking Council (Alabama and Mississippi); Presentation: “Use of Health Care Fraud Task Forces” and “Trends in Health Care Fraud Prosecutions.”
  • August 1993: ABA Annual Meeting; Moderator, Panel on “Double Jeopardy: Old Theory, New Defense.”
  • April 1993: U.S. Department of Justice Training on Prosecution of Health Care Fraud (for federal agents and prosecutors), Columbia, South Carolina; spoke on health care fraud.
  • February 1993: ABA National Institute on Health Care Fraud, Orlando, Florida; Moderator, Panel on “Prosecution and Defense Strategies.”
  • August 1992: ABA Health Care Subcommittee, Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California; Presentation: “Defense Theories Employed in Recent Health Care Fraud Prosecutions.”
  • March 1992: ABA White Collar Crime Institute, San Francisco, California; Panelist, Symposium on Health Care Fraud.
  • August 1991: ABA Annual Meeting, Forum Sponsored by Sections on Criminal Justice, Torts and Practice, Antitrust, and Business Practice, Atlanta, Georgia; Presentation: “Criminalization of Health Care Fraud.”
  • July 1991: Law School Alumni Luncheon, Alabama State Bar, Annual Meeting, Gulf Shores, Alabama; Presentation: “White Collar Crime.”
  • May 1991: Presentations on the following at Training Session for Assistant Attorneys General, National Association of Medicaid Fraud Investigative Units, Denver, Colorado:
    – “Representation of the Corporate Witness: Conflict of Interest”
    – “Trends in Prosecutions of Health Care Providers for Fraud”
    – “Prosecuting Corporations.”
  • May 1991: Conducted in-service training on trial of complex criminal cases for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, S.D. Alabama.

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Amanda L. Caldwell

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Henry I Frohsin

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Emily Walthall

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