Starting, Buying, or Joining a Physician Practice in Louisiana

Whether you're opening your own practice, buying one from a retiring physician, or being offered partnership, the contracts you sign now will shape your career for years. I help physicians get them right.

Text me to talk

Text (504) 356-9678 and we'll set up a time to talk within one business day. The first conversation is free, and I don't ask for retainers. Just send your name and a good time to reach you; no details needed by text.

Most physicians make these decisions once or twice in a career, while the people across the table make them all the time. A practice purchase or partnership buy-in usually involves a significant investment, long-term commitments, and terms that are much harder to change after you sign. I help you understand what you're agreeing to, negotiate better terms, and avoid surprises.

Starting your own practice

Choosing and forming the right business entity
Operating or shareholder agreements, especially if you're starting with colleagues
Office leases, equipment, and vendor contracts
Employment agreements for staff, nurse practitioners, and other clinicians, including collaborative practice agreements
Patient intake, consent, and financial policies
HIPAA, documentation, and billing compliance from day one

Buying a practice from another physician

Buying a practice means buying its history, too. Before you sign, we look closely at what you're actually getting and what you might be taking on:

Structuring the purchase and negotiating the purchase agreement
Due diligence on billing and coding practices, compliance history, and any pending complaints or claims
Payer contracts, leases, and vendor agreements, and whether they can be transferred to you
Staff transitions and employment terms
Custody of patient records and notice to patients
Transition terms with the selling physician, including how long they'll stay on and any restrictions after they leave

I work alongside your accountant and valuation professionals so the legal terms match the financial picture.

Joining a practice as a partner

A partnership offer is a compliment, and also a negotiation. Before you buy in, you should understand:

The buy-in price, how it was calculated, and how it's paid
How compensation, profits, and expenses are divided
Your voting rights and role in decisions
Call schedules, workload, and time off
What happens when you or another partner leaves, retires, becomes disabled, or dies, including how your share is bought out
Noncompete and other restrictions

Since 2025, Louisiana law limits how long and how widely a physician noncompete can apply in many contracts: generally three years for primary care physicians and five years for other physicians, with geographic limits, though some employers are exempt. Whether and how that applies to your agreement is worth reviewing before you sign.

Why physicians work with me

I've practiced healthcare and business law for more than 17 years, and I regularly represent physicians, especially women physicians, in contract negotiations. As a former COO of a healthcare agency with more than 200 employees, I understand how practices actually run, where their paperwork falls short, and what to look for when you're buying into one.

Most physicians sign the first offer. My job is to make sure you know what you're signing, and to help you negotiate terms that work for you.

No retainer. Payment plans that fit your budget.

Most women starting a business don't have extra cash set aside for legal work, so they try to piece it together on their own: an online template here, a borrowed contract there. The problem is that the most important legal work happens at the very beginning, when you're forming your company, writing your contracts, and setting up how your business will run. Mistakes made then are the hardest and most expensive to fix later.

So I've made it easier to get it right from the start. I don't ask for retainers. I bill only for work I've completed, and you can set up a payment plan that fits your needs. I believe every woman building something of her own deserves sound legal counsel, not just the women who can pay for it all up front.

Make your next move with confidence

Whether you're planning a practice, considering a purchase, or reviewing a partnership offer, let's talk before you sign. Consultations are available by phone, video, or in person across Louisiana.