
Rachael’s broad experience covers the full range of issues that arise for health care companiesin life sciences, most prominently with entities involved in the compounding of drugs across both the human and animal health spheres. A wide variety of health care entities, including telehealth platforms, drug distributors, physician and veterinary practices, on line pharmacy and prescription management services, as well as pharmacies (commercial/retail, nuclear, compounding and institutional), hospital systems, and outsourcing facilities, consistently seek her out to provide industry-tailored regulatory advice for innovative business models and technological platforms.
Rachael has notable strength in representing health care facilities in high-stakes Federal Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and state agency investigations and related litigation, as well as acting as regulatory counsel for large-scale, high-profile transactions involving major healthcare players in the compounding space. Widely regarded as a thought leader on current issues facing the compounding sector, Rachael is called upon to represent coalitions of compounding pharmacies and outsourcing facilities to challenge FDA, state regulators, or other regulatory bodies on critical issues defining the industry. A recognized national authority, Rachael is the leading health care partner in our Chambers-ranked Illinois Health Care group, and is personally ranked by Chambers USA in Band 1 for the Illinois Healthcare: Pharmaceutical/Medical Products Regulatory category.
Credentials
Awards & Recognition
- Ranked Band 1 in Chambers USA for Illnois Healthcare: Pharmaceutical/Medical Products Regulatory, 2020
- Selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers list for Business Litigation, 2014-2016, 2019-2020
- Selected to the Rising Stars list by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, 2012-2013
- Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, One of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch” in 2013 (selected from over 1,300 nominees)
- Illinois Leading Lawyer, 2013
Notable Quotes
- 29 July 2015 "Order Vacates Conviction Under Trafficking-Victims Act" Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
- 2014 “The Regulation of Pharmacy Compounding: FDA Authority and the Compounding Quality Act of 2013” Food and Drug Law Institute Primer
- 30 April 2013 "Compounding Bill May Hand FDA New Power Over Health Care" Law360
- March/April 2013 "FDA Authority Over Compounding Pharmacy" FDLI Update
- 10 November 2011 "Lawyers See Challenges in Cross-Border Disputes" Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
- March 2011 "Q&A: Rachael Pontikes" by Olivia Clarke, The Chicago Lawyer
- 1 February 2011 "Panel: Girls in 'Wild' video to remain anonymous" Bloomberg Businessweek