Charlie Gokey

Charlie Gokey is a litigator with a track record of success across a variety of industries and subject matters. His current practice focuses primarily on complex commercial disputes in the healthcare industry, often involving large-scale insurance fraud. As a member of the firm’s healthcare practice group, he has litigated and arbitrated some of his clients’ most consequential disputes, often with tens or hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. He brings a deep knowledge of the legal landscape his clients must navigate, with a particular expertise in ERISA matters. 

While much of Charlie’s practice has focused on affirmative recovery actions, through which he has helped to recover hundreds of millions of dollars, his record of success extends to both sides of the v. Charlie has repeatedly and efficiently obtained dismissal or other favorable resolution of claims and counterclaims against his clients. He has also served as amicus counsel when his clients have sought to weigh in on legal issues that may have an impact on their business.

Charlie further maintains a pro bono practice focused on civil rights and civil liberties. He has twice obtained dismissal and fees for pro bono clients sued for defamation by their abusers after speaking out.

Charlie originally joined the firm in 2019 and rejoined the firm in 2026 after spending several years helping to build and grow an ERISA litigation boutique. Prior to that, he worked at an international law firm in Washington, DC and served as a law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Charlie began his career as a legal fellow at a civil liberties litigation nonprofit in Washington, DC. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.

Education

• Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., magna cum laude (2013)
• Carleton College. B.A. in American Studies, cum laude (2008)

Representative Matters

Robins Kaplan represented Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida (“Florida Blue”) in a case against DaVita alleging that DaVita defrauded Florida Blue out of tens of millions of dollars. The firm defeated summary judgment, obtained an extraordinary order compelling DaVita to produce witnesses for trial via video it had tried to withhold who were outside of the Court’s subpoena power, and successfully moved to exclude DaVita’s key defenses just days before trial, leading to a confidential mid-trial settlement. (Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. et al v. DaVita, Inc., No. 3:19-cv-00574 (M.D. Fla. 2022))

Robins Kaplan represented a payor client in a confidential arbitration against a provider alleging large-scale fraudulent billing, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. The firm successfully obtained full recovery of all losses, plus interest, after prevailing in a final arbitration hearing.

Robins Kaplan represented several payor clients in a series of lawsuits brought by and against GS Labs, a COVID testing lab accused of fraudulent billing, each with tens of millions of dollars at stake. The firm leveraged creative arguments to obtain dismissal of all or nearly all claims and counterclaims brought by GS Labs, positioning the cases for confidential resolutions. (GS Labs, LLC v. Medica Insurance Company, No. 0:2021-cv-02400 (D. Minn. 2022); GS Labs, LLC v. Medica Insurance Company, No. 0:2022-cv-02988 (D. Minn. 2023); BCBSM, Inc. v. GS Labs, LLC, No. 0:22-CV-00513 (D. Minn.); Premera Blue Cross v. GS Labs, No. 2:21-cv-01399 (W.D. Wash. 2022)).

Robins Kaplan represented Premera Blue Cross as amicus counsel in a case raising an important question about the interpretation of the CARES Act. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit adopted the reasoning set forth in the amicus brief, issuing a precedential opinion taking the position urged by our client. (Saloojas, Inc. v. Aetna Health of California, Inc., 80 F.4th 1011 (9th Cir. 2023))

Robins Kaplan represented a variety of payor clients in a lawsuit against the owner of a urinalysis testing facility that allegedly engaged in a pass-through billing scheme. The firm obtained dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims and obtained a series of escalating discovery sanctions, positioning the case for a confidential resolution shortly before trial. (Blue Cross of California et al v. Sonoma West Medical Center, Inc. et al, No. 2:18-cv-04912 (C.D. Cal. 2019))

Robins Kaplan represented UnitedHealthcare against two urinalysis labs and their owners in a dispute concerning alleged pass-through billing, with both sides claiming entitlement to tens of millions of dollars. The firm successfully obtained summary judgment on the labs’ claims shortly before trial, positioning the case for a confidential pre-trial resolution. (Mission Toxicology, LLC et al v. UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company et al, No. 5:2017-cv-01016 (W.D. Tex. 2020))

• Named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers (2024)
• Named a “North Star Lawyer” by the Minnesota State Bar Association for providing at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services (2020)

Professional

• Minnesota State Bar Association