South Florida is home to an enormous and vibrant healthcare ecosystem– including medical schools, research institutes, biotech companies, imaging centers, ambulatory surgery centers, physician practice groups and hospitals. Healthcare business can be extremely lucrative, and as a result this industry foments a high degree of competition and conflict. When that occurs, clients hire Ehrenstein|Sager because we have the industry knowledge and experience to effectively and strategically represent health care industry stakeholders in the prosecution or defense of these legal disputes.

For example:

• A private equity group purchased and then sold a series of imaging centers. Unfortunately, the transactions spawned multiple inter-related lawsuits between purchasers and sellers, based on claims centered on anti-kickback and Stark law violations.
• In addition, the Department of Justice initiated a qui tam proceeding based on a whistle blower’s disclosure of these alleged violations. Our private equity client faced exposure in excess of $70 million. Though the private equity group was literally “in the middle” of the transactions at issue, we deftly defended placing 100% of culpability on the original seller and the subsequent purchaser—eliminating all of the private equity group’s legal exposure.

• A public company in the business of owning and managing ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) acquired multiple ambulatory surgery facilities. Unfortunately, the sellers duped the purchaser into buying based on fraudulent representations concerning the financial performance of the centers, and further breached their subsequent obligations to work with and not compete against the ASC. We sued the Sellers, and obtained complete relief for the public company, including damages and injunctions against future competition.

We know how to litigate and try healthcare industry issues. If your healthcare business is facing legal challenges, you need Ehrenstein|Sager’s counsel.