Barr, John

Lisa Hu Barquist represents corporate and individual clients in litigation, business transactions and contracts, and real estate. A former federal prosecutor, she also handles healthcare fraud and narcotics/money laundering cases.  An experienced trial lawyer, she has been practicing law since 1989, and passed the three most difficult bar exams: CA (1989), NY (1996), and FL (2004), and waived into D,C. (2005).  Lisa has been awarded the highest peer review rating by Martindale where her peers have described her as "an outstanding lawyer in all respects. She is one of the best advocates I've worked with both in the court room and out."

Prior to joining Payton & Associates, Lisa was principal of Hu Barquist & Associates P.A., where she represented Chinese clients in complex commercial transactional and litigation matters. She was a federal prosecutor for 11 years in the Southern District of Florida and Western District of New York, having received awards from the FBI, DEA, IRS and other law enforcement agencies. She worked in Miami's civil healthcare division, investigating violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute, filing suit and seeking injunctive relief against healthcare providers, and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of the Medicare program. Lisa also  investigated and prosecuted narcotics traffickers, including applying for Title IIIs (wire taps). Before joining the Department of Justice, Lisa was an associate at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine.

Lisa earned her J.D. in 1989 from the University of Southern California Law Center, where she was Editor of the Law Review, and her B.A. from Yale University, where she was Elected Regent to Yale College Council and Chairman of Social Activities Committee.