Healthcare Acquisition Attorney • San Francisco, California

Healthcare Acquisition Attorney in San Francisco

Healthcare transactions live or die on regulatory detail. Our San Francisco healthcare acquisition attorneys guide buyers and sellers through physician group, ASC, behavioral health, home health, and PE-backed platform deals, coordinating CON review, CPOM compliance, Stark and Anti-Kickback diligence, and payor contract transfers so the clinical enterprise closes clean and keeps running on day one.

Request Engagement Assessment Learn Our Process
Selective M&A Practice
Personal Attention
Senior Counsel on Every Deal

Talk to Alex About Your San Francisco Transaction

Share the basics. Alex reviews every inquiry personally.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

What We Do

Alex Lubyansky handles healthcare m&a legal services work for buyers and sellers in San Francisco and across the country. Here is what that looks like:

  • Certificate of Need (CON) review and state health agency approvals
  • Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) compliance and MSO structuring
  • Payor contract transfer, assignment, and recredentialing coordination
  • Medicare and Medicaid provider number transfers and change of ownership (CHOW) filings
  • Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) regulatory diligence
  • Practice valuation review, working capital mechanics, and earnout structures tied to clinical performance
  • HIPAA, data privacy, and EHR transition diligence
  • State AG review, nonprofit conversion approvals, and attorney general notifications

Who We Serve

We work best with people who know what they want and are ready to move:

  • Physician groups merging, selling, or rolling up into a platform
  • Hospital systems executing service line acquisitions or divestitures
  • Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) acquiring or being acquired
  • Behavioral health and addiction treatment operators consolidating
  • Home health, hospice, and DME agencies navigating licensure transfers
  • Private equity healthcare platforms executing add-on acquisitions

See If Your Deal Is a Fit

Tell us what you are working on. We respond within one business day.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

Our Process

A structured, methodical approach to healthcare m&a legal services

1

Regulatory Landscape Assessment

We map the state-specific regulatory path for your transaction, including CON requirements, CPOM posture, AG review triggers, and provider number transfer mechanics before any term sheet is signed.

2

Healthcare-Focused Due Diligence

Managing Partner Alex Lubyansky leads diligence across payor contracts, Medicare and Medicaid enrollment, Stark and AKS exposure, HIPAA posture, licensure, and compliance program maturity to surface deal risks early.

3

Structuring and MSO Design

We structure the deal to respect CPOM limits, optimize tax and liability treatment, and, where needed, design MSO or friendly-PC arrangements that preserve clinical independence and protect the economic deal.

4

Negotiation and Regulatory Filings

We negotiate the purchase agreement, ancillary documents, and transition services agreement while coordinating CON filings, AG notifications, payor consents, and CHOW applications on a closing-driven timeline.

5

Closing and Clinical Continuity

We manage closing logistics, provider number transitions, and post-closing integration items so patient care, billing, and payor reimbursement continue without disruption.

Request Engagement Assessment

What Happens After You Submit

We don't take every matter. Here is what happens when you reach out.

1

Personal Review (Within 24 Hours)

Alex reviews your transaction details personally. No intake coordinators, no junior associates screening your submission.

2

Fit Assessment

We evaluate whether your deal aligns with our practice. Not every matter is a fit, and we will tell you directly if it is not.

3

Initial Conversation

If there is alignment, Alex schedules a direct call to discuss your transaction, timeline, and objectives.

4

Clear Engagement Terms

Before any work begins, you receive a written engagement letter with defined scope, timeline, and fee structure. No surprises.

Request Your San Francisco Engagement Assessment

Alex Lubyansky handles every healthcare m&a legal services engagement personally.

15+ years of M&A experience. Nationwide. One attorney on every deal.

Request Engagement Assessment

We review every transaction inquiry within one business day.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

Questions to Ask Any M&A Attorney Before Hiring

Use these before you call any firm, including ours.

1. "Who will actually handle my transaction?"

At many firms, a partner sells the work and a junior associate does it. Ask for the name of the attorney who will draft and negotiate your documents.

2. "How many M&A transactions has the lead attorney closed in the past 12 months?"

Volume indicates current, active deal experience, not just credentials from years ago.

3. "What is your experience with my deal size and industry?"

A $500K SBA acquisition and a $50M PE deal require different skill sets. Make sure the attorney has handled transactions similar to yours.

4. "Will you coordinate with my CPA, financial advisor, and broker?"

M&A transactions require a team. Your attorney should work with your other advisors, not in a silo.

5. "How do you handle post-closing disputes?"

Reps, warranties, and indemnification claims surface months after closing. Ask whether the firm handles post-closing litigation or refers it out.

6. "What is your fee structure, and what drives cost?"

Hourly, flat fee, or hybrid. Ask what factors increase legal costs so there are no surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from San Francisco clients

What does a healthcare acquisition attorney do?
A healthcare acquisition attorney handles the legal and regulatory side of buying or selling a healthcare business. That includes CON review, CPOM compliance, Stark and Anti-Kickback diligence, Medicare and Medicaid provider transitions, payor contract transfers, and the purchase agreement itself. Managing Partner Alex Lubyansky leads every Acquisition Stars healthcare transaction personally.
Do I need CON approval to acquire a healthcare business?
It depends on the state, the type of facility, and the scope of services. Some states require Certificate of Need approval for hospital, ASC, nursing home, or imaging transactions, while others have repealed CON entirely. We assess the CON picture in the first conversation so you know the timeline and regulatory path before signing a letter of intent.
How does Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) affect the deal?
CPOM rules restrict who can own medical practices and how non-physicians can share in clinical revenue. In strong CPOM states, buyers typically use MSO or friendly-PC structures to acquire the business side of a practice while leaving clinical ownership with licensed physicians. We design structures that hold up under state scrutiny and still deliver the economic deal you negotiated.
What happens to payor contracts and provider numbers at closing?
Payor contracts and Medicare and Medicaid provider numbers generally do not transfer automatically. Depending on structure, the buyer may need to pursue a change of ownership filing, recredentialing, or new enrollments, which affects cash flow in the months after closing. We build the plan for provider number continuity into the transaction timeline so reimbursement does not stall.
How is Acquisition Stars different from a general M&A firm on healthcare deals?
Healthcare deals combine standard M&A risk with a second layer of regulatory risk that can sink an otherwise clean transaction. Managing Partner Alex Lubyansky leads every healthcare deal personally, coordinating CON, CPOM, Stark and AKS, HIPAA, and payor issues alongside the commercial negotiation, with the responsiveness of a boutique firm rather than the layered staffing of a large practice.
What can I expect during an initial consultation in San Francisco?
During your confidential initial consultation in San Francisco, we'll discuss your healthcare m&a legal services needs, review your current situation, assess potential challenges specific to California, and outline a clear path forward. We'll explain our process, answer your questions, and determine if we're the right fit for your needs.
Do you work with companies outside of San Francisco?
Yes, we represent clients nationwide while maintaining a strong presence in San Francisco. Our managing partner handles healthcare m&a legal services matters across all 50 states, coordinating with local counsel where state-specific requirements apply.

Need Specific Guidance?

Submit your transaction details for a preliminary assessment by our managing partner

Submit Transaction Details

Ready to Discuss Your San Francisco Deal?

Submit transaction details and Alex will respond directly.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

The San Francisco M&A Market

The Bay Area is ground zero for technology M&A, with the highest concentration of venture-backed startups and tech acquirers in the world. Deal activity centers on SaaS companies, fintech platforms, biotech firms, and AI/ML startups. Strategic acquisitions by large tech companies and PE-backed roll-ups of vertical SaaS businesses drive consistent deal flow in the $5M-$50M range.

Top M&A Sectors in San Francisco

  • SaaS & Software
  • Fintech
  • Biotech & Life Sciences
  • AI & Machine Learning
  • Clean Technology

Deal Environment

San Francisco deal valuations run 20-40% higher than national averages due to competition from strategic acquirers and growth equity firms. Sellers benefit from multiple bidders, but buyers need sophisticated deal structures to compete without overpaying.

Why Acquire in San Francisco

The Bay Area produces more venture-backed companies than any other market, creating a steady pipeline of acquisition targets as startups seek exits. Access to world-class engineering talent makes acquired companies easier to scale post-close.

California Legal Considerations

California's non-compete prohibition, combined with strict employee classification rules (AB 5) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), require careful due diligence on employment practices and data handling during any acquisition.

Why San Francisco Clients Work With Us

Our extensive experience with Bay Area technology companies, from early-stage startups to public companies, makes us uniquely qualified to handle complex securities transactions in this market.

California Legal Considerations for Healthcare M&A Legal Services

Non-Compete Laws

Banned entirely. Limited exception for sale of a business.

Filing Requirements

Mergers and asset acquisitions require filings with the California Secretary of State. The California Franchise Tax Board requires tax clearance certificates for dissolving entities. Bulk sales transactions require Notice to Creditors filings. Foreign entities must qualify with the Secretary of State before doing business in California.

Key California Considerations

  • California's complete ban on non-competes (Business & Professions Code Section 16600) is the most restrictive in the nation and voids even choice-of-law provisions attempting to apply another state's law to California employees
  • The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) can delay transactions involving real property or businesses with significant environmental footprints
  • California's community property regime requires that both spouses consent to the sale of community property business interests, adding a layer of complexity to closely held business acquisitions

Guides and Resources

In-depth guides to help you prepare for your transaction

M&A Legal Services

Full-service M&A counsel from letter of intent through closing.

Read guide

Due Diligence Checklist

A structured approach to legal, financial, and operational due diligence.

Read guide

LOI vs Purchase Agreement

Understanding the binding and non-binding elements of each document.

Read guide

Why Deals Fail

Common deal-killers and how experienced counsel helps prevent them.

Read guide

Related Services in San Francisco

Other Locations We Serve

Helpful Resources

Attorney perspective on healthcare acquisition attorney matters

Alex Lubyansky, Managing Partner at Acquisition Stars
"Healthcare acquisitions require a second layer of diligence most deals don't. Stark, Anti-Kickback, state licensure, corporate practice of medicine, payor contracts. Miss any of them and you've bought a compliance problem instead of a practice."
Alex Lubyansky, Senior Counsel On healthcare-specific acquisition risk (Client engagement letter)

15+ years of M&A and securities transaction experience Senior counsel on every engagement Admitted in Michigan, practicing nationwide

Reviewed by Alex Lubyansky on . Read full bio

Ready to Talk About Your San Francisco Deal?

Alex Lubyansky handles every engagement personally. Tell us about your transaction and we will let you know if there is a fit.

Request Engagement Assessment

Tell us about your deal. We review every submission and respond within one business day.

Your information is kept strictly confidential and will never be shared. Privacy Policy

One attorney on every deal. Nationwide. 15+ years of M&A experience.