Our Mission
DMC Law’s mission is to provide client-centered, high-quality legal services focused on health privacy and healthcare operations. We serve a diverse range of healthcare providers and businesses, including behavioral health practitioners, federally qualified health centers, and both emerging and established health tech companies. Our work is grounded in a commitment to practical, compliance-focused solutions that support each client’s goals and operational realities.
What We Do
First and foremost, we love the work we do. DMC Law provides client-centered service by acting as a trusted advisor, taking the time to understand each client’s business and goals, and collaborating with experienced, like-minded attorneys to advance the client’s best interests. For matters outside our areas of practice, we help identify trusted professionals from our established network—selecting those best suited to assist based on our deep understanding of the client and their objectives.
DMC Law Offers the Following Services:
- Health Privacy
- Healthcare Operations/Outside General Counsel
- Health Tech
- Behavioral Health Clinicians and Practices
- Healthcare Licensure Investigations
Our Primary Goal
To find practical solutions for our clients that meet business objectives and mitigate risk
Health Privacy
Healthcare Operations/ Outside General Counsel
Health Tech
Behavioral Health Clinicians and Practices
Our Team
Dena M. Castricone
CIPP/US, CIPM
Dena M. Castricone is a highly respected privacy and healthcare attorney with 20 years of legal experience. She has served as the General Counsel and Chief of Privacy at one of the largest federally qualified health centers in the country and a partner at a regional law firm. Dena is licensed to practice in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
DMC Law provides client-centered, high-quality legal services focused on health privacy and healthcare operations. We serve a diverse range of healthcare providers and businesses, including behavioral health practitioners, federally qualified health centers, and both emerging and established health tech companies.
Dena Castricone, CIPP/US, CIPM
Founder and Managing Member
Dena is a respected privacy and healthcare attorney with more than 20 years of legal experience. Prior to founding DMC Law, Dena served as the General Counsel and Chief of Privacy at one of the largest federally qualified health centers in the country. Before her in-house role, Dena was a partner at Murtha Cullina LLP, where she spent most of her career and was the Chair of the Privacy and Cybersecurity group. Dena began her legal career as a law clerk to the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in 2002.
With an extensive background in health privacy and cybersecurity, Dena advises healthcare providers and businesses on compliance with various privacy laws. She has substantial experience navigating health privacy challenges. Dena has developed and implemented HIPAA compliance programs for healthcare providers of all sizes including policy development, training and service as a privacy officer. She is a self-proclaimed “HIPAA dork.”
Dena also advises healthcare providers on a broad range of regulatory compliance, risk management, licensure, Medicare and Medicaid, contract and day-to-day operational issues as well as responds to government investigations and inquiries and represents providers before state and federal administrative agencies.
Additionally, Dena provides the full complement of data breach coaching services to businesses and healthcare providers including breach notification to individuals and various government entities. She also counsels clients on cybersecurity risks, the creation of information security plans, breach prevention and the development and implementation of policies and procedures.
Dena teaches Health Information Privacy and Security Law at Quinnipiac School of Law and assists with curriculum development for the Privacy and Cybersecurity Concentration.
In 2022, the Massachusetts Health Information Management Association awarded Dena the Health Information Management Advocacy Award and the Connecticut Law Tribune bestowed the Solo/Small Firm Innovator award on DMC Law. In December 2018, the National Law Review recognized Dena as a “Go-To Thought Leader” in privacy and cyber security. She received the Alumni Public Interest Champion of Justice Award from the Roger Williams University School of Law and was also named a James W. Cooper Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation in 2016.
In 2015, the Governor appointed Dena to serve on the Citizen’s Ethics Advisory Board. She is passionate about her work in ethics and is committed to the mission of the Office of State Ethics of transparency in government.
In 2019, Dena earned the Privacy Law Specialist designation from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), which is not yet a recognized specialist category in Connecticut. The IAPP is accredited by the American Bar Association to certify lawyers in the specialty area of Privacy Law. In addition, Dena holds two IAPP certifications: Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM).
Education
- Roger Williams University School of Law (JD, cum laude)
- Roger Williams University (BS, summa cum laude)
Bar Admission
Dena is licensed to practice in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Memberships
- Connecticut Bar Association (Co-Chair of the Privacy and Cybersecurity Committee)
- International Association of Privacy Professionals
Interests
Dena loves spending time with her family, listening to her talented wife sing and play guitar, cooking, eating good food and drinking good wine in the company of friends. She’s known for her homemade chili and tomato sauce (according to her niece and nephews).
Tracy R. Guarnieri
Counsel
Tracy joined DMC Law in June 2021. She has over 15 years of research compliance experience at one of the world’s leading research universities and prior to coming to DMC Law, she served as the General Counsel and Privacy Officer for a large federally qualified health center. Tracy practices in the areas of research compliance, health privacy, and healthcare operations and compliance. Tracy first became interested in law while working as a research assistant on clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease. She attended law school full time while continuing to work as a research assistant.
In addition to her first-hand knowledge of human subjects research and clinical trials, Tracy’s research compliance expertise spans all areas of research including sponsored projects, animal research, and conflicts of interest. She also has experience managing compliance for Institutional Review Boards and Human Research Protection Programs.
Tracy also has a substantial background in health privacy, including service as a privacy officer for a healthcare organization, and has experience advising healthcare providers on regulatory compliance and risk management.
Education
- Quinnipiac School of Law (JD, cum laude)
- Barnard College of Columbia University (BA, cum laude)
Bar Admissions
Tracy is admitted to practice law in Connecticut.
Memberships
Tracy is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and serves on the board of directors for Master’s Manna, a local food pantry and resource center.
Interests
Tracy loves spending time with her family sailing on their 45’ sailboat, paddle boarding, skiing and snowboarding and is an avid reader and baker who is famous (within her family circle at least) for her decadent “quatro” leches cake.
Jennifer A. Colafrancesco
Director of Operations and Training
Jennifer joined the DMC Law team in August 2021. Her title should really be “Chief Miscellaneous Officer,” as she does it all – day to day operations, finance, marketing, HR, etc. She’s the glue that holds it all together and keeps things running smoothly. Most recently, Jennifer was a Software Education Specialist at a local software development company. She also is an amazingly talented musician and baker.
Interests
Jennifer loves spending time with her family, working out, running, playing guitar and singing, and baking. She makes a killer cheesecake!