Bar Admissions

North Carolina

Education

Duke University, J.D., magna cum laude, 2007, Order of the Coif; Staff Editor, Duke Journal of Constitutional Law and Public Policy, 2006-07

Duke University, B.A., summa cum laude, 2003, Phi Beta Kappa

Profile

Jennifer Hutchens exclusively practices transactional health care law. She represents industry stakeholders of all sizes, including providers, licensed agencies, industry-based nonprofits and management services organizations. Jennifer focuses on health care joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and other affiliation transactions. Her experience includes preparing and negotiating an array of professional service, managed care and other health care contracts. 

Jennifer also serves as outside general counsel to several health care clients. She frequently counsels clients on strategic corporate and nonprofit matters, including pursuing innovative collaboration opportunities, developing growth targets, participating in client board meetings, and guiding corporate hygiene best practices.

Jennifer advises clients on regulatory and compliance issues at both the federal and state level, including the Anti-Kickback and physician self-referral (Stark) laws, corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting prohibitions, and licensure and administrative law matters. She has experience assisting clients with health care compliance self-audits, acquisition due diligence, corrective actions, and self-reporting under governmental and administrative regimes.

Jennifer was recognized as the Charlotte Health Care Law Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers® for 2018.

Honors & Awards

Experience

Experience

  • Outside General Counsel

  • Serves as outside general counsel to the national testing organization for the profession of optometry. 

  • Serves as outside general counsel to an innovative joint venture – composed of 12 health systems – formed to operate a provider-led and patient-centered health plan participating in the North Carolina Managed Medicaid Program.

  • Serves as outside general counsel to a North Carolina critical access hospital, providing advice on legal, transactional and strategic matters.

  • Transaction/Regulatory Counsel

  • Counsels national radiology platform and its affiliated practices and service lines on a variety of corporate, health care, operational and regulatory matters.

  • Led health care due diligence review and analysis on behalf of an international public health care company for its $2 billion acquisition of a home dialysis equipment maker.

  • Represents a national health care corporation in the negotiation and development of joint venture operations with other hospitals and physician partners.

  • Counsels a national health care corporation in its purchases of a wide range of business operations, including dialysis clinics, vascular access centers and physician practice management services.

  • Advises health care industry stakeholders (including providers and professional and trade organizations) in the development of business relationships, affiliations, combinations and integrations.

  • Advised hospital clients with due diligence, self-audits and self-disclosure, including under the CMS Stark Self-Referral Disclosure Protocol.

  • Assisted with corporate representation of a North Carolina insurance company in acquiring minority interest in an urgent care company with multistate clinic operations.

News & Events

News

Events

Insights

Affiliations

Professional Affiliations

  • American Health Lawyers Association, Nominating Committee, 2019-present; Fundamentals in Health Law Conference Planning Committee, 2017-present; Governance Advisory Council, 2017-present; Young Professional Delegate to Board, 2016-17; Young Professionals Council, Chair, 2014-16 (Vice-Chair, 2013-14); Hospital and Health Systems Practice Group Leadership Development Program, 2012-13; Best Practices Health Law Curriculum Steering Committee
  • North Carolina Bar Association, Health Law Section Council, Chair, 2017-18; Vice Chair, 2016-17; Secretary, 2015-16; Treasurer, 2014-15; Member, 2009-12 and 2013-16 
  • North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorneys, Education Committee, 2013-16
  • American College of Healthcare Executives, Member
  • Women Business Leaders of the U.S. Health Care Industry Foundation, Member
  • Greater Charlotte Healthcare Executives, Member
  • American Bar Foundation Fellow

Community Affiliations

  • North Carolina Bar Association, Health Law Section, Steering Committee on "End of Life Awareness" Project and Long-Range Planning Committee
  • Duke Law School, Law Alumni Association – New Lawyers Division, 2006-12
  • Duke Law School, Alumni Adviser for the Health Law Society
  • Duke Alumni Admissions Program, Admissions Interviewer, 2007-present
  • Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Scholar Alumna
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