Business over Breakfast: Health Care Legal Updates from our Spring Series
July 19, 2023
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Leigh A. Wilkinson
Health Care Attorney
Leigh's practice experience encompasses a broad range of health care law matters, including structuring medical practice formations, mergers, purchases, sales, and alliances; advising health care providers on health care regulatory (fraud and abuse, HIPAA, Stark, anti-kickback, EMTALA, and antitrust) and reimbursement issues; structuring health care joint ventures; negotiating and drafting contracts; and drafting key compliance policies and procedures. Her experience also encompasses a broad range of business law matters, from start-up businesses to transactional matters.
Education
- J.D., The University of North Carolina School of Law, 1985
- B.S., magna cum laude, North Carolina State University, 1982
Representative Experience
- Representation of client in audit, calculation and refund of Medicare and other payor overpayments exceeding $500,000
- Representation of medical practice in developing diagnostic imaging joint venture with hospital
- Representation of retiring physician in negotiating the buy-out of his ownership interest in the practice and the entity that owned the practice's office locations
- Representation of medical practice in sale of assets to and simultaneous employment of physicians by hospital
- Representation of medical practice in Medicare appeal of overpayment determination through Administrative Law Judge Hearing level
- Representation of hospital medical staff in credentialing, grievance and disciplinary actions involving physicians
Honors and Distinctions*
- The Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers®, 2010-2025
- North Carolina Bar Association Citizen Lawyer Award, 2013
- North Carolina District East Civitan, Carlie B. Sessoms Memorial Award, Civitan of the Decade, 2014
Professional and Community Affiliations
- American Health Lawyers Association
- Civitan International (Region Three Director 2015-2017)
- Coastal Women's Forum (charter member; past president and director)
- Medical Group Management Association
- New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce (past board chairperson)
- North Carolina Bar Association — Sections: Business Law; Health Law
- North Carolina District East of Civitan International (governor 2010-2011)
- North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorneys
- North Carolina State University College of Sciences Foundation (past board chairperson)
Admitted to Practice
- North Carolina, 1985
- All state courts in North Carolina
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
About Me
A quote that inspires me is "We have been given it all to give it all away!"
The best thing about Ward and Smith is the people - our attorneys and staff and our clients.
* Please see the following websites for an explanation of the membership standards for the following recognitions: www.bestlawyers.com; businessnc.com/special-sections/legal-elite/; and www.superlawyers.com/north-carolina.
